(KIRKSVILLE, Mo., March 23)—The McKendree University baseball team earned a split of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Truman State University. A late comeback fell just short for the Bearcats in the opener as the host Bulldogs held on for an 8-6 win. McKendree bounced back to take the nightcap by a score of 12-6.
 
Saturday's split leaves McKendree with an overall record of 8-13 along with a league mark of 4-4. The Bearcats and Bulldogs will play the rubber game in their three-game weekend series Sunday afternoon at noon in Kirksville, Mo.
 
Senior infielder Matt Klosterman (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) led the offensive attack for McKendree on Saturday by rapping out five hits, including three in game two. Junior infielder Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg) collected three hits and three RBI during the Bearcats' win in the nightcap, while senior infielder Andrew Aydt (Wildwood, MO/Eureka) drove in three runs on a pair of safeties that included a home run in the same contest. Freshman Hayden Schaefer (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) accounted for three RBI in the nightcap as well. Senior outfielder Drew Reich (Charlestown, IN/Charlestown), senior infielder Adam Cox (Louisville, IL/North Clay) and junior outfielder Jordan Richardson (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) each contributed two hits and a run batted in during game one for McKendree.
 
In game one, Truman State (2-16, 2-8 GLVC) jumped out to a 6-0 lead before McKendree cut the deficit in half in the top of the fifth inning. Emery started the rally with a one-out walk. Klosterman followed with a double to put runners at second and third base. Schaefer then drew a walk to load the bases. After Drew followed with another walk to force home Emery with the first run of the frame, Reich delivered a two-run single to get the Bearcats within 6-3.
 
McKendree edged closer at 6-4 in the top of the sixth when Cox belted a leadoff home run to right field. The Bulldogs then added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to take an 8-4 advantage into the top of the ninth.
 
Down to its final at-bat, McKendree mounted one final comeback bid. Schaefer worked a leadoff walk and Reich followed with a double to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Schaefer then raced home on a wild pitch with two outs, and Reich scampered home thanks to a run-scoring double off the bat of Richardson. But Truman State nailed down the final out to claim the victory.
 
The Bearcats grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of tallies in the top of the third inning when Schaefer belted a two-run double to the left-center field gap. In the top of the fourth, Cox drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Emery added an RBI infield single to help McKendree build a 5-0 cushion. The Bulldogs countered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to trim the Bearcats' lead to 5-2.
 
In the top of the fifth, McKendree erupted for four runs to stretch its lead out to 9-2. Reich led things off by reaching on a Truman State error, and senior outfielder Corey Chambliss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) singled with one out. Two pitches later, Aydt blasted a three-run homer to extend the McKendree advantage to 8-2. Emery later added another run-scoring single to push the Bearcats in front by seven runs. Not to be outdone, Truman State scored four times in the bottom of the fifth get back within 8-6.
 
McKendree posted two key insurance runs in the seventh inning thanks to an RBI double and a bases loaded walk to Schaefer for an 11-6 cushion. Klosterman drove in the Bearcats' final run of the day in the eighth inning on a RBI single to right field.
 
Senior right-hander Kraig Gielow (Arnold, MO/DeSmet Jesuit) picked up his first victory in a McKendree uniform. Gielow tossed 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, scattering four hits with three strikeouts.