SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— The Drury Panthers battled back from a 6-2 deficit to defeat McKendree 8-6 and take three of four in their weekend series against the Bearcats at Mark Worley Field at Meador Park on Sunday.
 
Drury improved to 27-21 and 17-11 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while McKendree went to 16-28 and 13-15 in the league.
 
The Panthers never led until the bottom of the eighth. Trailing 6-5, Drury tied the game for the first time on a sacrifice fly by Landon Willbrand that scored pinch runner Conner Flieg. Jackon Crider then gave Drury their first lead in the game with an RBI single that drove Paul Pratte, who was also in as a pinch-runner. Wyatt Morgan provided the Panthers a two-run cushion as he scored from third base on a wild pitch, giving Drury an 8-6 lead going into the ninth.
 
Reliever Luc Fuller (2-0) allowed a two-out single in the ninth but struck out Noah Shuman to end the game. Fuller got the win in relief, going three innings and allowing three hits and no runs with no walks and three strikeouts.
 
Luke Aubuchon (0-2) took the loss in relief for McKendree.
 
McKendree scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the second to take an early 4-0 lead. The Panthers scored a run in the second and another in the third, but fell behind 6-2 after the Bearcats put up a run in the top of the sixth.
 
Drury pulled within a run of the lead with a three-run bottom of the sixth, highlighted by a solo home run from Hesston Gray, his fifth of the year.
 
Kaden Byrne went 3 for 4 for Drury and drove in two runs, while Carter Wambach was 2 for 2 with two runs, an RBI, a walk, a double, and a sacrifice fly.
 
Drury is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday with a 6 pm game against third-ranked Central Missouri at 6 pm at Mark Worley Field at Meador Park.
 
 
#WonDrury