(LEBANON, Ill., April 20)—The McKendree University baseball team was defeated in both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday at home against Missouri S&T. The Bearcats nearly rallied in its final at-bat before dropping the opener 6-3 before the Miners registered a 7-1 win in the nightcap.
 
McKendree and Missouri S&T will close out their weather-delayed, three-game series on Sunday with one nine-inning contest. The Bearcats and Miners are set for a noon first pitch at Hypes Field.
 
Junior infielder Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg) rapped out four hits on the day, including two in each contest. Senior Matt Klosterman (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) added three hits on the day, while sophomore catcher Connor McCormick (Manteno, IL/Manteno) belted a two-run homer in game one for the Bearcats.
 
After Missouri S&T (24-13, 17-9 GLVC) grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one, McKendree battled back to cut the deficit to a single run in the second inning. Senior infielder Adam Cox (Louisville, IL/North Clay) led off with a single to center field. Two batters later, McCormick worked a full count before lifting a fast ball over the left field fence for his two-run home run, bringing the Bearcats within 3-2.
 
The one-run lead for Missouri S&T stood until the sixth inning, when the Miners plated two more runs for a 5-2 advantage and added an insurance tally in the eight to build a four-run cushion. McKendree looked to put together one more rally attempt in the bottom of the ninth inning. Freshman infielder Joseph Costanzo (Kansas City, MO/Rockhurst) led off with a walk, moved to second on a single by Klosterman and reached third following a double-play grounder. Senior outfielder Drew Reich (Charlestown, IN/Charlestown) was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive before freshman Hayden Schaefer (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) delivered an RBI single to bring home Costanzo, cutting the Miners' lead to three runs.
 
McKendree (9-30, 6-20 GLVC) brought the tying run to the plate, but Missouri S&T closer Connor Forsythe registered the final out to preserve the win for the visitors.
 
Junior right-hander Jared Timmerman (New Baden, IL/Wesclin)n scattered eight hits and allowed five earned runs over seven innings of work. Timmermann walked just one batter and struck out six in taking the game one loss on the mound for McKendree.
 
In the nightcap, the game was scoreless until the third inning, when Missouri S&T plated six runs to take a 6-0 lead. The Miners added another run in the sixth before McKendree scored its lone run of the contest in the eighth inning. Senior outfielder Corey Chambliss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) led off with a walk and reached second on a wild pitch. After moving to third base on another wild pitch, Chambliss raced home thanks to a sacrifice fly off the bat of Costanzo.
 
Freshman right-hander Ryan Vogt (Ava, IL/Trico) was nicked for seven runs – just three earned – over six innings with seven strikeouts in the game two start for the Bearcats.