(QUINCY, Ill., March 4)—The McKendree University baseball team used a two-run outburst in the 10
th inning to post a 4-2 victory Sunday at Quincy University in the finale of a four-game series at QU Stadium in Quincy, Ill.
Senior infielder Jeff Wetzler's RBI single with one out in the top of the 10
th inning put the Bearcats in front for good, and a sacrifice fly from junior infielder Andrew Aydt provided some insurance in the two-run victory. McKendree moves to 2-9 on the year and will continue non-conference action on Friday at William Jewell College. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Four different pitchers saw action on the mound Sunday for McKendree, and the quartet combined to limit Quincy, the No. 13-ranked team in NCAA Division II, to just five hits. Junior Levi Brening, making his first start of the season, allowed one run on two hits over six innings with six strikeouts. After freshman Jacob Reinkemeyer tossed a scoreless seventh inning, senior Logan Zachry held the Hawks off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth innings and picked up the victory. Freshman Evan Spears recorded the final three outs in the 10
th inning to nail down the save for the Bearcats.
In the top of the first inning, McKendree used a two-out rally to take a 1-0 lead. Brening doubled down the left field line and came around to score when Aydt singled through the right side. Quincy (5-5) answered with a tally in the bottom of the first to tie things at 1-1.
McKendree took its first lead of the contest in the top of the fourth inning. Junior infielder Drake Hampton worked a one-out walk and moved to second when junior outfielder Austin Werner was hit by a pitch. Hampton then reached third base before scoring on a wild pitch to give the Bearcats a 2-1 advantage. The Hawks tied the game with a tally in the bottom of the seventh inning before the contest moved to extra innings.
In the top of the 10
th inning, junior infielder Luke Johnson walked as a pinch-hitter to lead off the frame. Sophomore outfielder Blake Gray followed with a bunt single. Gray reached second on an attempted sacrifice bunt and came around to score on Wetzler's RBI single to give the Bearcats a 3-2 lead. Aydt then drove in his second run of the game with his sacrifice fly to cap the scoring on the day.
Brening finished with three hits on the day, while Aydt had two runs batted in.