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McKendree University Athletics

Schedule

09272022_Baseball_vs SWIC_Nelson
Pat Knapinski
6
Winner Oklahoma Baptist OKB 2-2
4
McKendree MCKBSB 0-1
Winner
Oklahoma Baptist OKB
2-2
6
Final
4
McKendree MCKBSB
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Oklahoma Baptist OKB 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 6 11 1
McKendree MCKBSB 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 4 12 4

W: Nolan Feazle (1-0) L: Strozier, Jameson (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Patrick Knapinski, Assistant SID

Baseball Drops Season Opener After Taking Lead Late

Bearcats come back with late push, unable to holf off Oklahoma Baptist

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - McKendree University baseball (0-1) was unable to kick things off with a win in 2023 , dropping the season opener to Oklahoma Baptist, 6-4, on Friday afternoon. The Bearcats came back with a three-run seventh inning to take a 4-3 lead but couldn't hold back the Bison in the ninth. Three players recorded multiple hits in the opening game while the pitiching staff notched eight strikeouts in the contest. McKendree is back in action on Saturday afternoon with a 4 PM contest against Ouachita Baptist in Hot Springs, Arkansas. 

The Bison of Oklahoma Baptist started off quicker than the Bearcats, grabbing two runs over the second and third innings. OBU dropped in a sac fly, leading to a throwing error by McKendree to take the lead initally while a single to right pushed the deficit to 2-0 for the Bearcats. 

McKendree went for its first run of the season in the sixth as senior first baseman Austin Francis crossed the plate with junior second baseman Brett Freiberg's sacrifice fly-out. Bearcats gave up one in the top of the seventh, going down 3-1 to the Bison. 

In the bottom of the seventh, McKendree shattered the offensive ice, scoring three runs to take a 4-3 lead over OBU, which included a string of hits, going one by one. Graduate outfielder Katom Parnell fired a double down the left field line to start off the inning. Redshirt junior outfielder Chyran Cruse then dropped in a double to left center, pushing Parnell home, making it a 3-2 contest. Cruse advanced to third on the next at-bat and subsequently reached home with a Francis double down the line, tying the game at three runs a piece. Junior infielder Noah Nelson fired a single into left, allowing Francis to cross the plate once again and get the Bearcats a lead, 4-3. 

OBU tied the game in the eighth, 4-4, with a single to advance all runners. 

The top of the ninth featured a pair of runs by the Bison, opening a 6-4 deficit for the Bearcats. Junior infielder Michael Paule began the bottom half of the inning with a single while he then advanced on a pass ball. OBU then forced three-straight outs to take the game.

McKendree totaled 12 hits against the Bison, allowing 11 in the process. Nelson, Francis, and redshirt sophomore Kyle Czarnecki all tallied multiple hits while eight Bearcats had at least one on the day. Nelson owned a trio of knocks with one RBI while Francis collected two hits with two runs and an RBI. 

Redshirt junior Owen Gross started the game off for McKendree, throwing four innings with five strikeouts in 15 at-bats. Gross allowed a pair of runs with just four hits. Freshman hurler Jameson Strozier (0-1) took the loss for McKendree, allowing the pair of runs in the top of the ninth. 

UP NEXT
McKendree will face-off against Ouachita Baptist on Saturday, February 11, at 4 PM in Hot Springs, Arkansas. 

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