The McKendree softball team concluded play here Sunday in Music City Invitational by picking up two wins to finish the two-day event hosted by Trevecca Nazarene with a 3-1 record at Cedar Stone Park.
In Sunday's action, the Bearcats opened with a 4-2 win over Wisconsin-Parkside and then collected a 7-5 win over Kentucky Wesleyan.
On Sunday, the Bearcats offense continued its hot play as they recorded 19 hits, including six extra base hits and had three stolen bases.
In the opening game on Sunday against Wisconsin-Parkside (0-5), the Bearcats got the scoring started in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of graduate student first baseman Paige Hayden (Independence, Mo./Fort Osage). Hayden's fly ball scored freshman shortstop Heaven Lawrence (Marion, Ill./Marion), who had led off the game with a walk and Lawrence would eventually steal second.
The lead grew to 2-0 in the top of the second on an RBI triple off the bat of Lawrence and the Bearcats made it 3-0 in the top of the third inning as the Bearcats took advantage to an error, a wild pitch and an RBI single by junior catcher Morgan Andrews (Creal Springs, Ill./Marion).
UWP would break-up a shutout bid by Bearcat sophomore pitcher Ellie Quaethem (Washington, Mo./Washington) as she would allow three hits and two runs to drop McKendree's lead to 3-2.
Quaethem opened the game by not allowing a hit through the first three innings as she only had allowed two base runners thanks to two walks in the bottom of the second inning.
The Bearcats gave Quaethem an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to a walk and an RBI double to right off the bat of Hayden.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Rangers would put two runners on base thanks to a single and an error by Lawrence at shortstop, but Quaethem would seal the win by forcing Alyssa Laxson to fly out and then striking out Meagan Maze to end the game.
Hayden led the way offensively for McKendree with two hits and 2 RBI, while Lawrence, Andrews, junior rightfielder Olivia Stansbury (Lafayette, Ind./Purdue Fort Wayne), sophomore leftfielder Natalie Schellert (Wentzville, Mo./St. Dominic) and freshman centerfielder Austen Vickery (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) each had one hit in the win.
Quaethem (2-0) picked up her second win of the season as she tossed a complete game and allowed seven hits and two runs, while walking two and striking out eight.
Jadynn Powell and Laxson each had two hits for the Rangers, while Laxson had 2 RBI in the loss.
Tijanne Ross took the loss in the circle for UWP as she also tossed a complete game and allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned), while walking six and striking out five.
Meanwhile, in the second game against Kentucky Wesleyan (1-11), the Bearcats outhit KWC, 12-8 and both teams committed two errors in the game.
KWC would get the scoring started in the top of the first inning thanks to a triple by Hannah Scheberle and an RBI ground out by Calysta Crum.
The Panthers moved in front 2-0 in the top of the second as Mary Morgan delivered an RBI single off of freshman pitcher Sydney Bires (Carlinville, Ill./Gillespie).
McKendree would score its first run in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Bires, which plated Andrews, who led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on a wild pitch.
KWC made 4-1 in the top of the third as they used three hits and a Bearcat error to plate two runs on an 2-run double down the left field line by Grace Scott.
The Bearcats would respond with by scoring three runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game. In the inning, the Bearcats recorded five hits, including RBI singles by Hayden, Andrews and Schellert.
KWC would retake the lead in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly, before the Bearcats would come right back in the bottom of the fourth and plate two runs to take a 5-4 lead. The first run came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hayden and an RBI double to left by Andrews.
The Bearcats added a seventh run in the bottom of the sixth as Lawrence reached on an error, moved to second when Hayden walked and would score on an RBI double down the left field line by Andrews.
KWC would not score in the top of the seventh to seal McKendree's win.
Andrews went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and 3 RBI in the win, while Lawrence and Andrews each scored two runs in the win.
Sophomore Katie Nuetzel (Hereford, Ariz./Buena) picked up the win in relief of Bires as she tossed 2.1 innings and allowed one hit and one unearned run, while walking one and striking out one. Nuetzel is now 1-1 on the season.
Meryck Hardley and Scott each had two hits for the Panthers.
Scott (0-4) took the loss in the circle as she tossed four innings and allowed 11 hits and six runs (three earned), while striking out two and walking none.
The Bearcats will return to action next weekend (Feb. 24-26) as they play six games at the Lewis Flyers Dome Invitational in Rosemont, Ill. The Bearcats will open the event on Feb. 24 with a 6 p.m. game against Ferris State and an 8 p.m. game against Wayne State (Mich.).
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