(HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Feb. 16)—The McKendree University baseball team dropped both ends of its season-opening doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. The Bearcats fell in game one 12-4 before being edged in the nightcap, 3-2.
 
McKendree will look to take the final game of the three-game set against UAH Sunday afternoon, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m.
 
Freshman infielder Hayden Schaefer (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) had an impreesive debut for McKendree, going 5-for-7 at the plate in the two games, including a three-hit performance in game one. Senior first baseman Andrew Aydt (Wildwood, MO/Eureka) had three hits in six at-bats, which included a two-run home run that accounted for the Bearcats' offense in game two. Senior infielder Matt Klosterman (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) rapped out a pair of hits in the nightcap as well for McKendree.
 
In the opener, McKendree wasted little time in plating its first run of the new season. Senior infielder Adam Cox (Louisville, IL/North Clay) reached on a one-out triple and score two batters later when Aydt produced an RBI single to right field. Alabama Huntsville (4-4) answered with two runs in the bottom of the first to grab a 2-1 lead. The Chargers went on to score seven more unanswered runs to build a 9-1 cushion before the Bearcats ended the streak with a run in the top of the fifth inning.
 
Schaefer led off the fifth with a double to left field. He later moved to third on a wild pitch and raced home after a UAH passed ball to bring McKendree within 9-2. Schaefer figured prominently in the Bearcats' scoring play in the top of the seventh inning. He reached on a one-out single before moving to second on another wild pitch. After moving to third on a groundout, Schaefer raced home thanks to a run-scoring single off the bat of senior outfielder Matt DeLaVega (Lincolnwood, IL/Niles West) to help the Bearcats trim the deficit to 9-3.
 
Alabama Huntsville scored their final three runs in the bottom of the eighth before McKendree added its final run of the contest in the top of the ninth. Senior outfielder Austin Werner (Hamel, IL/Edwardsville) led off the frame with a pinch-hit double and came around to score later in the inning on a Chargers' error.
 
Sophomore right-hander Andrew Yancik (Glen Carbon, IL/Edwardsville) was nicked for the game one loss for McKendree. In 1 1/3 innings of work, Yancik allowed five earned runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Senior right-hander Levi Brening (Coon Rapids, MN/DuQuoin) struck out a career-high five batters over 3 1/3 innings of relief.
 
Aydt jump-started the Bearcats' offense in game two when he ripped a two-run home run over the right-center field fence to stake McKendree to a 2-0 lead. Klosterman, who led off the contest with a single, scored in front of Aydt. Alabama Huntsville scored single runs in the first and fourth innings to tie the game at 2-2. The Chargers then added another tally in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 3-2 advantage.

McKendree tried to rally in its final at-bat in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Schaefer singled to center field and advanced to second on a ground out. Brening reached on an error to move Schaefer to third base. But UAH closer Dylan Murphy induced a game-ending lineout to help the Chargers finish off the sweep.
 
Sophomore right-hander Connor Gilles (High Ridge, MO/Rockwood Summit) started the game for McKendree and allowed two earned runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts over the first 3 1/3 innings. Senior right-hander Ryan Moore (Evansville, IN/Central) was charged with the loss in relief for the Bearcats.