(EVANSVILLE, Ind., April 29)—The McKendree University baseball team registered a doubleheader split on Sunday afternoon at the University of Southern Indiana. The Bearcats built a big lead in the opener on its way to a 10-9 win before the host Screaming Eagles rebounded with a 22-1 victory in game two.
 
The Sunday split gives McKendree an overall record of 8-34 and a 3-16 mark in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Bearcats will return to Hypes Field for the final six games of the 2018 season, beginning with a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday against Rockhurst University. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
 
McKendree belted four home runs in its game one victory, three of which were three-run blasts. Freshman catcher Austin Francis led the way with two homers and four RBI, while junior first baseman Andrew Aydt and junior outfielder Austin Werner each added three-run shots in a six-run first inning.
 
The Bearcats wasted little time in jumping out to a big lead in game one. Junior outfielder Corey Chambliss led off with a walk before junior outfielder Drew Reich reached on a one-out single. Aydt stepped in next and ripped a three-run home run over the right-center field fence to stake McKendree to a 3-0 advantage. Senior outfielder Grant Anderson was hit by a pitch and junior infielder Drake Hampton reached on a USI error when Werner capped off the offensive outburst with his three-run shot to extend the Bearcats' lead to 6-0.
 
Southern Indiana (25-19, 12-8 GLVC) cut the Bearcats' lead in half with three runs in the bottom of the third to pull within 6-3. In the top of the fifth, Hampton led off with a double before Werner reached on another Screaming Eagles' error. Francis came to the plate and hit his first homer of the contest, a three-run blast, to put McKendree in front at 9-2. USI plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to get back within 9-5.
 
Francis led off the top of the seventh with a solo shot to left-center field, providing a key insurance run and a 10-5 lead for McKendree. The Screaming Eagles scored four times in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run at third base when junior left-hander Blake Thompson was able to record the final out to record his first save of the year.
 
Junior right-hander Brian Christianson pitched 2 1/3 innings to collect the mound victory for McKendree. Christianson allowed two earned runs on two hits with two strikeouts.
 
In the nightcap, McKendree scored its lone run of the contest in the top of the sixth inning. Sophomore outfielder Blake Gray reached on a fielder's choice. Junior first baseman Lucas Deimeke singled to left to move Gray to second base. Anderson then came to the plate and delivered an RBI single to bring home Gray.