PAINESVILLE, Ohio – McKendree University redshirt junior quarterback Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, Ill./Shelbyville) connected with redshirt junior receiver Jacob Bachman (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 23 seconds left the fourth quarter to help the Bearcats rally from a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to pick up a 38-37 win here Saturday evening against Lake Erie College at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium.
 
With the win, McKendree improves to 2-1 on the season and has now scored 30 or more points in all four straight games dating to last season's finale at Lindenwood, which is the longest such streak for the Bearcats since tallying 30 or more points in six straight games during the 2018 season. Lake Erie fell to 1-2 on the season.  
 
Pullen's touchdown pass, which came nearly three minutes after he connected with sophomore receiver Yogi Flager, Jr. (Belleville, Ill./Butler University) for a 65-yard touchdown pass to bring McKendree within 37-32 with 3:27 left in the fourth quarter.
 
"I couldn't be prouder of this team. We did a lot things that hurt us and almost cost us the game (penalities, turnovers, missed tackles). However, to be able to finish like we did made me extremely proud of the boys," McKendree head football coach Mike Babcock said. "They are learning how to be great football players and I'm excited to see the progress."
 
Saturday's win was the 50th for Babcock as McKendree's coach as he improved his coaching record to 50-41 in his 10th season with the Bearcats.
 
Flager, Jr.'s score came after Lake Erie had taken a two-score lead following a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:16 left in the final quarter from Gerald Gardner.
 
It appeared early in the game that the Bearcats wouldn't need Pullen's late-game heroics as the Bearcats jumped out to a 16-7 lead following the first quarter of action.
 
In the opening quarter, the Bearcats got scoring started on a 1-run by Pullen just a little under four minutes into the game. The rushing touchdown was the 21st of Pullen's career. Pullen's score came five plays after junior defensive back Drew Crooks (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington) picked off Gardner's first pass of the game.
 
LEC, though, would tie the game on its next possession as Nate Dantley got behind the Bearcats defense and caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Gardner. Dantley's score came one play after Gardner connected with Peyton Brown on a 39-yard reception.
 
On the Bearcats' ensuing possession, which began with a 59-yard kickoff return from sophomore running back Narkel Leflore (Chatham, Ill./Glenwood), the Bearcats took a 10-7 lead on a 33-yard field goal from junior kicker Ryan Kastl (Washington, Ill./Washington). Kastl's field goal capped a seven play drive.
 
Late in the opening quarter, Flager, Jr., caught 30-yard touchdown pass from Pullen, but the extra point from Kastl was missed to give the Bearcats a 16-7 lead. Flager's score capped a six play, 50-yard drive by the Bearcats.
 
Lake Erie had a potential scoring drive snuffed out just 95 seconds into the second quarter as sophomore defensive back Ethan Young (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) picked off a Gardner pass and returned it 27 yards. The interception was the second of the season for Young.
 
Following that interception, the second quarter belonged to the Storm as they used a 10-yard pass from Gardner to Koraun Perdue with 1:45 left in the quarter to pull within 16-14.
 
On the Bearcats' next possession, Pullen tossed his only interception and that interception led to a 32-yard field goal by Nathan Tager late the quarter to give LEC a 17-16 lead at the half.
 
In the second quarter, Lake Erie outgained the Bearcats, 121-34 and held a 273-126 edge in total offensive yards in the first half.
 
The Storm's lead grew to 24-16 as Peyton Brown hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to give LEC a 24-16 lead with 11:23 left in the third quarter. The scoring drive began on a fumble by Leflore on the Bearcats' first offensive play of the second half.
 
McKendree, though, would respond right back as Pullen scored on an 11-yard run midway through the third quarter that pulled the Bearcats within two points at 24-22. The rushing score, which capped a nine play, 75-yard drive, by Pullen was his 22nd of his career, which is sixth on the school's all-time chart. Following the touchdown run by Pullen, the Bearcats went for two, but on the play, Pullen pass attempt failed to keep the Storm in front by two points.
 
The Storm would take a 31-22 lead just a little under three minutes into the third quarter on a 73-yard touchdown run by Robbie Sanders.
 
For the game, the Bearcats were outgained, 522 to 388. McKendree gained 94 yards rushing on 31 carries, including 59 yards on 14 carries by Pullen and Pullen was 26-for-39 passing for 294 yards and had one interception and three touchdown passes.
 
Pullen finished the game with 343 yards of total offense to push his career total 6,903 yards and the 294 passing yards pushed his career total to 6,197 yards and his three touchdown passes pushed his career total to 57, which is just seven shy of Isaac Fisher's school record of 64 passing touchdowns.
 
Seven receivers caught passes in Saturday's win as Flager, Jr. was targeted 15 times and finished the night with eight catches for 152 yards and had two touchdown receptions. Leflore caught five passes, while Bachman and sophomore tight end Jordan Sprycha (Oak Lawn, Ill./Oak Lawn Community) each caught four passes for a combined 70 yards. With his four receptions, Bachman moves within 16 receptions of Cameron James' school record of 150 receptions.
 
Leflore returned four kickoffs for 94 yards and finished the night with 117 all-purpose yards, while Flager, Jr. had 156 all-purpose yards thanks to his one punt return for four yards.  
 
The Bearcats defense finished with five tackles for loss, two sacks and picked off two passes. Redshirt sophomore defensive Andrew Sherry paced the way with eight tackles, all of which were solo, while sophomore defensive back Brandon Wilson, Jr. (Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence) added seven tackles, including five solo stops.
 
Lake Erie gained 223 yards rushing on 41 carries as Sanders carried the ball 10 times for 133 yards and Raphael Jones, Jr. gained 104 yards on 20 carries.
 
Gardner was 24-for-38 passing for 291 yards and had three touchdown passes and two interceptions. Brown led the receiving corps with seven catches on 10 targets for 123 yards.
 
The Storm defense finished with six tackles for loss and two sacks and forced two turnovers. Cameron Grodhaus paced the Storm defense with eight tackles, including five solo stops and he also had three tackles for loss.
 
McKendree will look to open the season 3-1 next Saturday, Sept. 24 as the Bearcats host Walsh University for a 1 p.m. non-conference game on First Responders and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day at Leemon Field. Walsh enters the game 0-3 on the season following its 28-13 home loss Saturday to Quincy (1-2).