ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team scored early and often as it rolled to a 17-2 win in seven innings against McKendree on Sunday afternoon at the UMSL Baseball Field. The Tritons improve to 20-17, 14-6 GLVC while the Bearcats drop to 15-23, 7-13 GLVC.

UMSL sent nine batters to the plate in the home half of the first scoring four runs on four hits. Mitch Bonczkowski drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center and Owen Faith followed with a single to left to make it 2-0. Garrett Strenger drove in Faith with a double to right center and Ayden Cline had an RBI single to right that scored Strenger.

McKendree got a run back in the second on a solo home run to straight away center from Hunter Sherman but left the bases loaded as Gabe Deaver grounded out to Saxton at second to end the inning.

The Tritons added four more runs in the second on a hit, a hit by pitch and a pair of walks. Strenger hit a chopper over the third baseman's head and down the left field line for a two-run double scoring Bonczkowski and LJ Randle. Faith and Strenger would each score on passed balls by the catcher to make it 8-1.

Sherman drove in his second run of the game for the Bearcats with a ground out to short that plated Max Meuili to make it 8-2 in the third.

UMSL regained its seven run cushion in its half of the third as Justin Simard brought in Cline with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Tritons added three more in the fourth on an RBI single from Saxton and a two-run double from Strenger. UMSL put the game away with five runs in the sixth highlighted by a grand slam to left center off the bat of Faith to make it 17-2.

The Tritons finished with 12 hits in the contest and were led by Faith and Strenger with three apiece. Strenger tied a school single game record with his three doubles. Faith and Strenger combined to drive in 10 of the 17 runs.

Garrett Brunstetter picked up the win giving up two runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts to improve to 4-0 on the season. Dustin Hagens pitched a perfect seventh to close it out.

The win was also a milestone win for head coach Scott Eul as he won his 100th game with UMSL.

The Tritons to Indianapolis next weekend for a four-game series against the University of Indianapolis starting on Friday at 2 p.m. (CDT) from Bill Bright Field at Greyhound Park.