SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The McKendree University baseball team went on the road for their third weekend of GLVC play to battle the University of Illinois – Springfield Prairie Stars on March 22nd through the 24th. The Bearcats split with the Prairie Stars as they took games 2 and 4 of the series by scores of 8-3 and 6-3. UIS took game 1 and 3 by the scores of 12-0 and 11-1.
Game 1 – March 22nd
The Bearcats got out to a slow start in the opening game of the series as they went down in order in the top of the 1st. The Prairie Stars offense was alive from the jump. They took advantage of six walks and three passed balls along with five hits to score 10 runs.
UIS added two more runs later in the game to cap the scoring and take the opening game in seven innings.
Game 2 – March 23rd
In the second game of the series, the two teams were quiet for the first inning. To begin the top of the 2nd, Kaid Muth singled to left field and advanced to 2nd on a passed ball. Two batters later, Brandon Roth hit a two-run home run to right field to give McKendree the 2-0 lead.
In the top of the 3rd, McKendree rattled off three straight hits including a Noah Nelson RBI double to elft field to score Bittle to make it 3-0. Tommy Mohan continued the hit parade by singling to centerfield that scored Joey Kossina which gave the Bearcats a 4-0 lead. After a pitching change, Brandon Roth reached on a fielder's choice to score Nelson and extend the lead to five runs. UIS cut the lead to 5-3 on back-to-back doubles in the bottom half of the inning.
Two innings later, Michael Paule hit a solo blast to left field to make it a three run ballgame at 6-3. In the top of the 6th, Nelson hit a sacrifice fly and Mohan doubled to right field which scored Muth to make it the 8-3 final.
Trey Cole went the distance on the mound, allowing five hits, three runs (all unearned), four walks, while striking out two.
Game 3 – March 23rd
The nightcap on Saturday started out well for the Bearcats. Noah Nelson brought Peyton Bittle home to score on an RBI groundout after Bittle lead off the game with a double to left field. As the game moved to the bottom of the 3rd, UIS took the lead as they scored three runs on one hit. The one hit was an RBI single to centerfield that scored two runs.
They would score more runs in the next three innings to bring their total to 11 and win the game 11-1.
Game 4 – March 24th
Looking for the weekend split, the Bearcats got on the board first in game four of the series as Nelson grounded out to the shortstop with Bittle scoring an unearned run.
UIS took the 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 3rd on an RBI single and a two-run home run.
McKendree regained the lead in the top of the 5th. With two outs and two runners on, Muth doubled to left field to score Kossina. The next batter, Kyle Czarnecki reached on an error by the first baseman to score Muth and Nelson which put McKendree up 4-3.
Bittle added an RBI double to centerfield that scored Harrison Toone to make it 5-3 Bearcats in the top of the 6th. Nelson added another insurance run in the top of the 9th on a solo home run to centerfield.
Keegan McCarty went 5.2 innings striking out six, allowing five hits, three runs and walking six. Trevor Jaloszynski came on in relief for 3.1 innings striking out seven, while shutting the Prairie Stars down gets the save.
McKendree will return home for a four-game set against the Upper Iowa Peacocks, the GLVC newcomer starting Thursday, March 28th.
