SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – McKendree baseball (22-28, 14-18 GLVC) concluded the regular season with a series against the University of Illinois Springfield (33-17, 21-11 GLVC) at the UIS Baseball Field this past weekend.
Game One | UIS 6, McKendree 5
Jaden Mathon (W: 3-0), Trey Cole (L: 6-6)
In the first game of the series, it was a very exciting game with both offenses trading runs and keeping the game close.
Offensively for the Bearcats, Max Meuli, Javy Garcia, and Hunter Sherman led the team with two hits each, and all had RBI's in the game as well. Peyton Bittle and Gavin Arseneau both added a hit and a run in the game. Gabe Deaver also had a hit to add to the team total.
Starting on the mound, Trey Cole went 7.1 innings and had five strikeouts. Adam Galdoni came in for relief and went 0.2 innings and didn't give up a hit.
Game Two | McKendree 7, UIS 0
Josh Dima (W: 3-2), Mark DeCicco (L: 6-2)
The first game of the Saturday doubleheader was highlighted by the pitching of Josh Dima. He pitched a complete game shutout to give McKendree its win over the weekend. He went the full seven innings only giving up five hits and striking out seven batters to keep the Prairie Stars at bay.
For the McKendree offense, Arseneau and Bittle started the scoring in the second inning with RBI singles. In the fourth, Sherman came around to score on a wild pitch to add to the lead. To end the scoring Gabe Deaver and Meuli both hit solo home runs to put the exclamation point on the game. Bittle and Sage McMinn also added hits in the game.
Game Three | UIS 17, McKendree 1
Graham Kasey (W: 4-1), Rhett Detering (L: 3-4)
The third game of the series was all Illinois Springfield as they stacked 17 runs off 17 hits in the game.
The lone run for the Bearcats came from a Meuli RBI single where Bittle came around to score. The only other hit in the game came from Bittle.
Pitching for McKendree was Rhett Detering going the first 2.1 innings and striking out two. Ben Amador came in for relief and threw one inning with one strikeout. Joe Jarecki relived him for 1.1 innings. Then it was Jorden Eaton who struck out the last batter of the fifth inning. Finishing the game out on the mound was Byran Jubelt who got out of the game with zero damage.
Game Four | UIS 7, McKendree 6
Ben Benoit (W: 7-3), Save : Jaden Mathon (1), Calan Kujawa (L: 3-4)
The last game of the regular season was a more closely contested game where the Bearcat comeback was stopped just shy in the last inning.
McKendree got the early lead in the first inning off a solo home run from Arseneau. They would again score in the fourth off an error by the first basemen in which Sherman would take advantage and bring the lead to two. Unfortunately, the Prairie Stars would get one back in the fourth and hit a grand slam in the fifth to overtake the lead.
An RBI single from Meuli and a McMinn home run brought the game back in the eighth to make the game 4-7 by the end of the inning. Sherman's two RBI single in the ninth made brought the game within one but would be held there coming just short of completing the comeback.
Getting the start on the mound was Luke Aubuchon. He went 2.1 innings and only gave up two hits and struck out two. Calan Kujawa came in for relief and went for three innings. Eli Dyer and Peyton Apps both came in for 0.2 innings for relief. Owen Dunn finished the game going 1.1 innings and struck out two.
Next Up
With this series the 2026 McKendree baseball has come to an end.
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