(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 22)—The McKendree University baseball team registered a split Sunday afternoon in a doubleheader at the University of Indianapolis. The Bearcats held on for a 6-4 win in the opener before the host Greyhounds rallied in walk-off fashion to post a 7-6 victory in game two.
 
The split leaves McKendree with a season record of 7-30 and a 2-13 mark in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Bearcats will return to action Wednesday at Hypes Field with a non-conference tilt against Lindenwood University. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
 
Junior infielder Luke Johnson had four hits on the day for McKendree, including three in game one. Johnson also drove in a pair of runs in the opener. Junior outfielder Corey Chambliss continued to swing a hot bat for the Bearcats with four more hits in the twinbill. Senior outfielder Grant Anderson homered in each contest, and his two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth of game two briefly gave McKendree a 6-5 lead.
 
On the mound, freshman right-hander Andrew Yancik and senior righty Logan Zachry combined to throw a five-hitter in the Bearcats' game one victory. Yancik worked the first four innings, giving up one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts. Zachry collected his first career save for McKendree, tossing the final three innings with a pair of strikeouts. Freshman right-hander Lucas Vallandingham was also sharp in relief in the nightcap, tossing 6 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Vallandinghma gave up just one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts against the Greyhounds.
 
In game one, McKendree took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Junior outfielder Austin Werner produced a one-out single and moved to second when Chambliss reached on a catcher's interference call. Johnson then brought Werner home with an RBI single to open the scoring. Chambliss later scored on a wild pitch to give the Bearcats a two-run advantage.
 
McKendree followed that with a three-run outburst in the top of the fourth inning for a 5-0 lead. Junior infielder Adam Cox was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame before Anderson drew a walk. Junior infielder Matt Klosterman then legged out a bunt single to load the bases. Werner hit into a fielder's choice to drive home Cox with the first run of the inning. Chambliss stepped in next and produced an RBI single to plate Anderson before Johnson added his second RBI hit of the contest.
 
Indianapolis (24-15, 6-10 GLVC) answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull within 5-3. In the fifth inning, Anderson ripped a two-out solo home run over the left field fence to extend the Bearcats' lead back to three runs at 6-3.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Greyhounds mounted one final comeback bid, pushing one run across and getting the potential tying run on base before Zachry was able to shut the door and help preserve the McKendree win.
 
The Greyhounds opened up a 5-0 lead after three innings in game two before McKendree started to chip away at the deficit. The Bearcats got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when junior first baseman Andrew Aydt reached on an error and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Klosterman. McKendree then plated three more runs in the sixth to slash the deficit to 5-4. Freshman catcher Austin Francis, Werner and Chambliss strung together three straight RBI singles to enable the Bearcats to get within a run.
 
Anderson then capped the McKendree comeback effort with the Bearcats down to their final strike in the ninth inning of the nightcap. After junior infielder Drake Hampton drew a two-out walk, Anderson stepped in next and launched a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for his second homer of the day to give McKendree a 6-5 lead. But UIndy managed to score twice in the bottom of the ninth to gain the split.