BOLIVAR, Mo. - McKendree University baseball (15-24, 10-10 GLVC) took home a series victory in its Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup with Southwest Baptist (8-33, 3-17 GLVC) after taking one of two games in the Satur day double-header to clinch the series. McKendree won the first of the two-game day by a score of 16-2 behind five RBIs each from infielders freshman Gavin Arseneau and senior Alex Steinbach. The Bearcats dropped game two of the day to the Bearcats, 13-6, but collected the series overall by going 3-1 against SBU. 

GAME 1
McKendree hit the gas early and often to begin Saturday with eight runs in the first three innings while only giving up one run to the hosting-Bearcats. Steinbach drove in the game-opening run with a single to drive in Arseneau before senior infielder Joseph Costanzo dropped a single into center, which put Steinbach home and push the lead to 2-0. 

The host nabbed one run back in the bottom of the first with an RBI-single, cutting the McKendree lead in half. The Bearcats continued their offense in the second inning with Arseneau dropping an RBI-single into right and was then followed by Steinbach blasting a grand slam, which made the McKendree lead 7-1. Arseneau got back to the plate in the third, sending out a sac fly and bringing in redshirt junior infielder Austin Francis, which made the lead 8-1, visting-Bearcats. 

Sophomore outfielder Joseph Copeland got in on the fun with a two-run shot in the fourth, bringing in senior outfielder Corey Price. The homer by Copeland put the lead to nine runs, 10-1. 

Scoring for the hosting-Bearcats ceased after the bottom of the fourth when SBU drove in one run off a single to left field. McKendree, however, kept its bats at the ready with six runs between the sixth and seventh innings. Arseneau began the sixth inning scoring with a three-RBI bomb to left, which was followed by a solo homer from senior outfielder Ryan Huchinson. McKendree added two more in the seventh to cap-off a 16-2 victory. 


Senior pitcher Brendan Boles (2-1) got the victory in the game three victory, putting up five strikeouts and two earned runs in 4.0 innings. 

GAME 2
The series finale started with McKendree taking a lead in the top of the first inning after Price reached base via fielder's choice, which allowed Arseneau to reach home during the throw-out against Hutchinson. 

After McKendree put up one run in the top of the opening inning, SBU went on to score seven-straight runs, taking a six-run lead into fourth. Sophomore catcher Tommy Mohan got McKendree back on track with a double into right, scoring Price. Junior outfielder Katom Parnell continued the scoring for the visiting-Bearcats with another double, scoring Francis and Mohan. The three-run inning cut the lead of the host to three runs at 7-4. 

SBU then put four back up on the board in the bottom half of the fourth and two more in the fifth, giving the host a 12-4 lead. McKendree tacked on its final runs of the outing in the seventh with a single by senior infielder JP Kehoe but the late-game rally fell short with SBU taking the finale, 13-6.

UP NEXT
McKendree will be back in action with its final home series of the spring against William Jewell on April 29 - May 1. 

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