(LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 25)—Seeing its first game action in 10 days, the McKendree University baseball team dropped a pair of close contests Sunday to open the Great Lakes Valley Conference portion of its 2018 schedule at Bellarmine University. The host Knights rallied to grab a 5-4, 10-inning victory in the opener before holding off the Bearcats in a 5-2 decision in game two.
 
McKendree is now 4-15 overall. The Bearcats and Knights will close out their four-game series Monday in Louisville, with first pitch set for noon ET (11 a.m. CT).
 
Junior outfielder Drew Reich had three hits in game one while he scored twice and drove in a run. Junior infielders Drake Hampton and Matt Klosterman each added three hits on the day, while Klosterman had two RBI in the nightcap. Sophomore outfielder Blake Gray posted a pair of hits in game two for the Bearcats.
 
In the opener, McKendree took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Reich doubled with one out, and Hampton followed with an RBI double down the left field line to score Reich with the first run of the contest. Bellarmine answered with a run in the bottom of the second to tie the contest at 1-1. The Knights then scored twice in the third inning to build a 3-1 advantage.
 
Reich and Hampton produced back-to-back singles in the fourth innings to put runners at first and third with one out. Freshman catcher Austin Francis then brought Reich home with an RBI single to help the Bearcats trim the deficit to 3-2. McKendree regained the lead for good with two runs in the top of the seventh inning as junior outfielder Levi Brening doubled with one out, junior first baseman Andrew Aydt delivered a RBI triple and Reich followed with a run-scoring single for a 4-3 Bearcat lead.
 
Bellarmine (14-6, 2-0 GLVC) tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, then used a walk-off single by Griffin Neuer with one out in the bottom of the 10^th inning to collect the game one victory.
 
Senior right-hander Nick Yung drew the game one starter and allowed three earned runs on seven hits over the first six innings for McKendree. Freshman righty Jacob Reinkemeyer, the third pitcher of the contest, tossed the final 1 1/3 innings was charged with the loss.
 
In the nightcap, the host Knights erupted for four runs in the bottom of the first inning. McKendree broke into the scoring column in the top of the fifth inning when Klosterman produced a two-out RBI single to score senior infielder Jeff Wetzler, who reached on a fielder's choice, to bring the Bearcats within 4-1. Klosterman later added his second RBI single of the contest in the top of the fifth inning to plate sophomore outfielder Blake Gray, who singled to lead off the frame, to cut the McKendree deficit to two runs.
 
The Knights answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth to push its lead back to three runs. McKendree put runners on base in each of the final two innings but could not cut into the deficit as Bellarmine held on for the doubleheader sweep.
 
Freshman left-hander Jack Strieker went the first five innings for the Bearcats, giving up four earned runs and seven hits with three strikeouts.