(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill., Feb. 23)—The McKendree University baseball team was defeated Saturday evening by Saginaw Valley State University in the middle game of a three-game weekend series being played in Edwardsville, Ill., 22-3.
 
The visiting Cardinals scored seven runs each in the first and third innings and never looked back in picking up their first win of the 2019 season. McKendree moves to 1-4 on the year and will look to take the rubber game of the series Sunday afternoon at Simmons Complex. First pitch is set for noon.
 
Saginaw Valley State (1-4) put up seven runs each in the first and third innings, sandwiched around a single tally in the second, in building a 15-1 advantage. McKendree's first run of the night came in the bottom of the second inning. Senior infielder Andrew Aydt (Wildwood, MO/Eureka) led off with a double and came around to score thanks to a two-out RBI single off the bat of senior outfielder Corey Chambliss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville).
 
Two innings later, senior outfielder Austin Werner (Hamel, IL/Edwardsville) led off the bottom of the fourth inning with his first home run of the season, a blast over the right-center field fence, to help McKendree cut the deficit to 15-2. The Bearcats' final tally of the evening came in the sixth inning, when Chambliss was hit by a pitch with two outs. Chambliss moved to second on a base hit by senior outfielder Matt DeLaVega (Lincolnwood, IL/Niles West) and scored on an RBI single by junior infielder Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg).
 
Six different pitchers took the mound for McKendree on Saturday, with sophomore right-hander Connor Gilles (High Ridge, MO/Rockwood Summit) getting nicked for the loss.