(LEBANON, Ill., March 10)—The McKendree College softball team took one of two games Saturday on the final day of the McKendree Invitational in Lebanon. The Bearcats posted a 13-4 victory over MidAmerican Nazarene University in game one before Bethel College shut down McKendree in the nightcap, 5-0.

 

The loss in game two snapped the Bearcats’ season-opening five-game win streak. McKendree, now 5-1 on the year, will head west to Arizona for the Tucson Invitational Games. The Bearcats will play six games in Tucson, beginning with a Tuesday contest against Minot State University. First pitch is set for 8:30 a.m. local time.

 

In Saturday’s first game against MidAmerica Nazarene, McKendree raced to a fast start by scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Junior infielder Rachael Ostertag (O' Fallon, Mo./Francis Howell) (O’Fallon, Mo./Francis Howell) gave the Bearcats a 3-0 lead with a three-run home run. Senior infielder Ashley Wambacher (Breese, Ill./Mater Dei) added an RBI single for a 4-0 advantage, and sophomore outfielder Kayla White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna) wrapped up the scoring with a bases-loaded walk.

 

After MidAmerica Nazarene struck back with three runs in the bottom of the first, McKendree scored five more runs in the third for a 10-3 lead. Ostertage and junior infielder Molly Reed (Carrollton, Ill./Carrollton) (Carrollton, Ill./Carrollton) each had a two-run single in the inning. The Bearcats then sealed the win with three runs in the fourth inning. Senior infielder Becky Sommer (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) posted a two-run single, and Ostertag collected another run-scoring hit.

 

Ostertag finished with three hits and six RBI to lead McKendree. Junior infielder Courtney Aldridge (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) added a pair of singles, while White reached base in all five plate appearances. She also scored three runs for the Bearcats.

 

Junior right-hander Colene Pogue (Mason, Ill./Waltonville) (Bonnie, Ill./Waltonville) tossed three innings and scattered four hits. She walked two and struck out three for the win.

 

Bethel’s Brittany Hire tossed a complete-game five-hitter in the second game against McKendree. Hire allowed just one extra-base hit, a double to White in the seventh inning. The Pilots scored a run in the first and added two runs each in the third and fourth innings to take control.