SEARCY, Ark. - McKendree University baseball dropped its opening pair of games, 9-6 and 6-5, this spring to Harding during a Friday afternoon double-header. The first two games featured senior Corey Price and freshman Gavin Arseneau combining for nine hits, five scores, in 16 at-bats. Six more Bearcats collected at least one hit in the first two games of the three-game series against the Bison.

GAME 1:
McKendree struggled to shake off the rust initially, allowing six runs in the first four innings. In the fifth inning, the Bearcats fired back with a pair of runs after senior infielder Joseph Costanzo doubled to right field down the line before advancing to third via a fly-out by graduate senior outfielder Peyton Dillingham. Costanzo scored on the next at-bat by another fly-out to center from graduate senior Ryan Hutchinson. After the senior scored off the fly-out, senior infielder Alex Steinbach hit a bomb home run to center field to cut the Bison lead to four runs, 6-2. 

Harding built upon its lead once again in the bottom of the seventh with three runs.

The eighth inning began the late-game comeback for McKendree with one run from Arseneau, who got on base via a single to right field and advanced off a hit by Price. With Arseneau on second, the Bearcats captured a run with another single by pinch hitter and sophomore outfielder Joseph Copeland. McKendree's comeback continued in the ninth and began with Hutchinson being hit by a pitch to get on base. Steinbach came through with a double and put Hutchinson on third. Arseneau singled through second base to push Hutchinson home and got Steinbach to third base. Price singled to center, getting Steinbach home and landing Arseneau on second. Sophomore infielder Dalton Hoel tacked on another single for the Bearcats, which got McKendree a third run in the top of the inning and cut the host's lead down, 9-6. 

The Bison put out back-to-back Bearcats to close out the game and end the McKendree comeback. 

GAME 2:
The Bearcats hit the ground running in game two of the three-game series, scoring two runs in the first behind a single from Price, who advanced on a Steinbach's hit-by-pitch and then a passed ball, scoring on Hutchin's ground out. Arseneau then drove in Steinbach on a single to center, giving McKendree a 2-0 lead. 

The Bearcats next scoring flurry came in the top of the third when Steinbach fired a ball to left for a double. Steinbach's double bumped Price, who reach on an error, to third base. Arseneau proceeded to hit a homer to right, putting McKendree up 5-0 in the game. 

The Bearcats were unable ot contain the Bison's offense in the remainder of the game, giving up three runs in the bottom of the third and three more an inning later in the fourth. 

McKendree struggled to generate offense over the final three innings, dropping the second game of its opening series. 

UP NEXT:
McKendree baseball will be back on the field on Saturday afternoon for a 1 P.M. first pitch for the third and final game of its series against the Bison.

For more updates and information on McKendree Athletics, please continue to visit McKBearcats.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
#BearcatsUnleashed