The McKendree University baseball team defeated the Winona State Warriors on Sunday afternoon by a score of 17-15 to improve to 1-1 on the season.
How it Happened
The Bearcats got the bats going early, as senior Connor McCormick (Manteno, IL/Manteno) drove in Corey Price (Bethalto, IL/Civic Memorial) and Austin Francis (Dupo, IL/Dupo) in the first inning to take an early lead.
McKendree added two more runs in the second inning when sophomore Joseph Copeland (Glen Carbon, IL/Edwardsville) and senior Austin Francis (Dupo, IL/Dupo) each knocked in a run, giving the Bearcats a 5-3 lead. McKendree would add three more runs in the third to extend the lead to 8-5.
The seventh inning would see the game enter a rain delay after Winona State scored four runs in the inning to give the Warriors a 14-10 lead.
The Bearcats bats would not be silenced by the delay, however. Corey Price (Bethalto, IL/Civic Memorial) got the Bearcats started, launching a solo home run to left center. Jordan Richardson (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon Township) knocked in the next run, cutting the deficit to two runs. Sophomore Jayton Cromer (Lebanon, MO/Lebanon) drove Richardson home off a single closing the gap to one.
The final two runs would be generated off a double by senior Ryan Hutchinson (Sorento, IL/Greenville) and Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg), who brought Hutchinson home on a two-run shot.
Inside the Box score
- McKendree hit three home runs on the afternoon, with Austin Francis (Dupo, IL/Dupo), Corey Price (Bethalto, IL/Civic Memorial), and Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg) all hitting their firsts of the year.
- The Bearcats scored at least one run in every inning but one, including a six-run frame in the eighth.
- The 21 hits the Bearcats compiled was the most in a game in the early season.
- Eight separate Bearcats recorded at least three hits.
- McKendree hit eight double on the day as a team.
- The Bearcats left only seven runners on base on the afternoon
Up Next:
The Bearcats return to action at Hypes Field on March 5th when they welcome Parkside for the first game of a four game weekend series.