(JOPLIN, Mo., Feb. 16) – The McKendree University baseball team fell to Missouri Western State by one run, 8-7 in its third game of the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) and Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) crossover in Joplin, Mo.
The Bearcats got on the board first with a single run in the top of the second off of an
Austin Francis (Dupo, IL/Dupo High School) home run. Missouri Western then went on to score its own home run bringing three Groffons across home plate to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third.
The fourth inning was explosive for both teams, with both the Bearcats and the Griffons scoring four runs. McKendree's Francis,
Jordan Richardson (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon Township High School),
Connor McCormick (Manteno, IL/Manteno High School), and
Joseph Costanzo (Kansas City, MO/Rockhurst High School) all crossed home plate for the Bearcats. The fifth inning was scoreless for both teams and then MWSU tallied another run in the bottom of the sixth inning. McKendree made a valid comeback effort in the seventh inning, scoring two runs to pull within one of Missouri Western but it wasn't enough as MWSU held on to win 8-7.
McKendree did record more hits in the game than Missouri Western, 13-11.
Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg High School) and Francis led the team in hits, each with three in the game. Richardson and McCormick then each recorded two hits in the game and
Joseph Copeland (Glen Carbon, IL/Edwardsville High School), Costanzo, and
Hayden Schaefer (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon Township High School) all tallied one hit for the Bearcats. McKendree also earned seven RBI's in the game with Francis and Richardson leading the way, each with two.
Five Bearcats pitched for McKendree in the game.
Geoff Withers (Cottage Hills, IL/Civic Memorial High School) started for the Bearcats throwing for 61 pitches and issuing two strikeouts.
Cameron Hibbets (Granite City, IL/Granite City High School) then took the mound for McKendree, throwing for 36 pitches and recording four strikeouts.
Brian Christianson (Mattenson, IL/Lincoln-Way East High Shcool) was next, throwing 16 pitches and one strikeout,
Evan Spears (Eureka, MO/Eureka High School) followed with nine pitches, and then
Lucas Vallandingham (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West High School) finished the game for the Bearcats throwing 19 pitches and earning two strike outs.
The Bearcats will close out the MIAA / GLVC Crossover with one game tomorrow, Monday, February 16 against Northwest Missouri State University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Joplin, Mo.
