Lebanon, Ill. – SBU baseball began their weekend series against the McKendree Bearcats with a strong 9-3 victory. That win gives them their second straight series opening victory as they move to 10-11 (4-5 GLVC) overall.
 
The game was controlled by Southwest Baptist all the way through never trailing. It took until the third inning for the Bearcats to break the scoreless game starting with an RBI double for Raydley Legito. In the next at bat, Ryan Ray extended his hit streak to six as he scored Collin McLemore off a bunt single. Reese Ruderman added the third and fourth run of the inning with a double to right field scoring Cooper Burgess and Ray.
 
The only runs of the game for McKendree came in the same inning as they brought the score to 4-3. SBU went on to add five more runs while holding McKendree scoreless to secure a strong series opening victory. Collin McLemore, Burgess, and Beau Honeycutt each had RBI's down the stretch for the win.
 
Junior Ryne Kaiser started on the mound and threw an impressive seven innings recording his second win of the season. He threw eight strikeouts while only allowing two earned runs. Conner Hammonds and Koen Van T Klooster relieved him combining for two hitless innings.
 
Nine separate Bearcats recorded a hit in the game combining for 14. McLemore, Ray, Ruderman, Honeycutt, and Conner Titus all had two apiece.  Both of Ruderman's and Honeycutt's hits were doubles to go along with Ray and Legito's doubles.
 
SBU baseball will continue their weekend on Saturday with two more games against McKendree. Both of these will be doubles and will take place at Hypes Field beginning at 12:00 p.m.