(LEBANON, Ill., March 31)- The McKendree College softball team defeated Saint Francis University 10-8 in nine innings and Ohio Dominican 6-3 in six innings in a rain shortened game two Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats enter the second day of the McKendree Classic tournament with a record of 2-0.

 

The Bearcats, now 23-7 overall, will play Robert Morris College at 10 a.m. followed by Saint Francis at noon.

 

Trailing 5-1 entering the top of the seventh inning, the Bearcats tied the game after back-to-back homeruns by designated player Rachael Ostertag (O' Fallon, Mo./Francis Howell) (O’Fallon, Mo./Francis Howell) and shortstop Courtney Aldridge (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) tying the game 5-5.

 

The score remained tied after both teams scored a run in the eighth inning, but a single by Sloane Hertlein (Harrisburg, Ill./Harrisburg) (Harrisburg, Ill./Harrisburg) scored two to increase the lead to 8-6. A double by second baseman Leah Cometto (Coulterville, Ill./Coulterville) (Coulterville, Ill./Coulterville) scored one, followed by a single by Becky Sommer (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) that scored another made the score 10-6 Bearcats. St. Francis scored two in the bottom of the inning, but its comeback bid fell short, giving McKendree the 10-8 win.

 

Colene Pogue (Mason, Ill./Waltonville) (Mason, Ill./Waltonville) picked up the win after throwing three innings and giving up two hits. Sommer led the Bearcats at the plate, going 3-3 with two RBI’s.

 

The Bearcats started off hot in game two, scoring one off an Ostertag double and three off a home run by Sommer making the score 4-0 McKendree after half of the first.

 

Ohio Dominican battled back cutting the lead to 4-3 after three innings, only for McKendree to score in the fourth inning on a fielders choice and again in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by catcher Angie Maue (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin HS) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin). The game would be called due to rain after the sixth inning, giving the Bearcats a 6-3 win.

 

Amy Quirin (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West HS) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) got the win for the Bearcats, throwing six innings and striking out five.  Ostertag led McKendree after going 3-3 with one RBI.