The McKendree University baseball team improved to 4-1 on the year after defeating the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers in both ends of today's doubleheader. The Bearcats won the opening game by a score of 15-6 and the second 15-0.
 
Game One
 
How It Happened: 
Game one saw McKendree get its offense going early, jumping out to a three-run lead after the first inning. The Bearcats added another six runs in the second giving them a 9-0 lead after two innings.

Sophomore Joseph Copeland (Glen Carbon, IL/Edwardsville) drove in three runs during this stretch, one coming off a sac fly in the first an the other two off a double in the second inning.

While Parkside was able to cut the lead to 9-4 by the sixth inning, the Bearcats would add two insurance runs in the 5^th behind RBIs from senior Austin Francis (Dupo, IL/Dupo) and graduate student Bryce Emery (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg).

Senior Andrew Yancik (Glen Carbon, IL/Edwardsville) earned his first win of season after 5 2/3 innings of work in which he gave up eight hits and struck out nine Rangers.
 
 
Inside the Box Score
-  Copeland, junior Corey Price (Bethalto, IL/Civic Memorial), and senior Ryan McCormick all finished game one with three RBIs.
-  The Bearcats finished the contest with 16 hit and left eight runners on base.
 
Game Two

How It Happened 
Game two saw the Bearcats dominate, both from the batter's box but as well as from the mound.

McKendree would belt three home runs in game two, with the first coming from Copeland in the third inning to give the Bearcats a 3-0 lead.

The fifth inning would see that lead doubled after a three-run shot from junior JP Kehoe (South Bend, IN/Clay) in his first plate appearance of the season.

Copeland would come back in the seventh inning and smash a two-run shot to give the Bearcats a 9-0 lead.

On the mound, junior Logan Boente (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) would throw a spectacular game for the Bearcats en route to his first win of the season. In six innings of work, Boente would give up four hits and one walk while striking out a career high 11 batters
 
 
Inside the Boxscore
-  Copeland and McCormick continued their stellar hitting day in game two, finishing five and three RBIs respectively.
-  All starters for the Bearcats recorded at least one hit on the afternoon.
 
Up next: 
The Bearcats will look for a four-game sweep against Parkside tomorrow when they return to Hypes Field, with first pitch slated for 12 p.m