LEBANON, Ill. - McKendree University baseball (8-17, 3-4 GLVC) began Saturday with a booming 10-5 victory over the visiting Rockhurst Hawks (12-13, 2-4 GLVC) before it dropped game two of the day, 5-3 to the visitor. The Bearcats' win on the day was highlighted by bats firing on all cylinders and a complete game from junior pitcher MacGrant. McKendree leads the weekend 2-1 over the Hawks and will seek Great Lakes Valley Conference series win at Hypes Field on Sunday afternoon. 

GAME 1
McKendree came into the game ready for an offensive outing, firing off four runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore outfielder Joseph Copeland kicked things off with a deep bomb over the right center fence, driving in a pair of fellow outfielders in senior Corey Price and graduate senior Ryan Hutchinson. Following the bomb by Copeland, senior infielder Joseph Costanzo added another run via his own shot sent to left field. McKendree led 4-0 at the end of the opening inning. 

The visiting-Hawks tied the game up at four runs a piece after a flurry of hits in the top of the fourth but McKendree recovered quickly and did not look back. In the bottom half of the fourth, freshman infielder Gavin Arseneau started off with a solo home run, taking the lead back for the Bearcats, 5-4. Senior infielder Alex Steinbach answered the bell as well with a two-run homer, bringing in Hutchinson, to make the lead 7-4 over the Hawks. 

The Bearcats carried their hot bats into the fifth and sixth innings with sophomore catcher Tommy Mohan homering to right center, Steinbach knocking another blast to right center, and Copeland in the latter half of the sixth. McKendree led 10-5 going into the final regulation inning.

Rockhurst added one final run in game one in the top of the seventh but failed to get past the complete game pitcher in Grant. 

GAME 2
The second game of the day featured less scoring McKendree fired away early on, once again. Rockhurst recorded two runs in the top of the first but couldn't hold back a potent Bearcats battery. Price sent a ball way over the center field fence, knocking in Steinbach and Hutchinson, to take the lead 3-2. 

The Hawks tied the game in the second off a sac fly before scoring two in the top of the sixth to own a 5-3 lead. 

THe Bearcats were unable to corral a streak of hits to tie the game, dropping gmae tow of the double-header day.

UP NEXT
McKendree is back at Hypes Field for the fourth and final game of the #GLVCbase series against the Rockhurst Hawks on Sunday, April 3 with a noon first pitch. 


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