(ST. LOUIS, Mo., March 7) – The McKendree University baseball team fell to Maryville University in the first game of the day 7-5 and then defeated the Saints in the second game 5-2 to go 1-1 on the first day of Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) competition. The Bearcats are now 5-8 overall on the season and 1-1 in GLVC play.
It wasn't until the fourth inning until a run was scored for either team when McKendree's
Chance Foss (Wood River, IL/Roxana High School) doubled to left field to bring home
Cal Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West High School) and
Austin Francis (Dupo, IL/Dupo High School) to go up 2-0 on the Saints. Maryville was quick to put up its own three runs in the bottom of the fifth to lead 3-2. There was a lull in play once more until McKendree put up three more runs in the top of the fifth. The Saints were able to clinch the victory with four runs in the bottom of the eighth winning game one 7-5.
The Bearcats out-hit the Saints in game one 8-5 with both Foss and Francis leading the team with two hits each. Foss was then the lone Bearcat to bring in multiple RBIs with two in game one. Kossina and Francis accounted for four of McKendree's five runs in the game with
Joseph Costanzo (Kansas City, MO/Rockhurst High School) picking up the other run for the Bearcats.
Jared Timmerman (New Baden, IL/Wesclin High School) started pitching for the Bearcats throwing for 86 pitches with eight strikeouts before being replaced with
Geoff Withers (Cottage Hills, IL/Civic Memorial High School) who pitched 18 pitches and one strikeout.
Cade Berendt (Germantown, WI/Germantown High School) then came to the mound and threw seven pitches.
Maryville was the first to score in the second game scoring a single run in the bottom of the first. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that anyone crossed home plate again as the Saints scored another single run. McKendree answered back in the top of the fifth with two runs to tie the game up 2-2. The Bearcats were then able to add another two runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead 4-2. McKendree tacked on one more run in the eighth inning, going on to win 5-2.
Once again the Bearcats tallied more hits than the Saints with seven total in the second game compared to Maryville's four.
Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg High School) was the lone Bearcat to record more than one RBI in the game with two.
Brendan Hostettler (Chatham,IL/Glenwood High School) was then the lone Bearcat to cross home plate multiple times in the game with two runs scored in the game.
Brenden Boles (Odin, IL/Salem High School) picks up another win on the season as the starting pitcher for McKendree on the day to advance to 2-0 on the season. Boles threw for 118 pitches and accumulated eight strikeouts with his time on the mound.
Nick Beeler (Troy, IL/Triad High School) came in for 13 pitches and then
Lucas Vallandingham (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West High School) closed out the game with two strikeouts on nine pitches.
The Bearcats will close out the three-game conference series with the Saints with a single game in St. Louis, Mo. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
