(SPRINGFIELD, Ill., April 27)—Sophomore catcher Angie Maue (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin HS) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) supplied most of the offense as the McKendree College softball team kicked off the 2007 American Midwest Conference Tournament Friday with a 13-0 victory over Harris-Stowe State University. The tournament is being held at the Land of Lincoln Softball Complex in Springfield, Ill.

 

Maue was 2-for-2 at the plate with a team-high seven runs batted in against the Hornets. Maue belted a grand slam and added a double in the victory. McKendree, the top seed in this year’s AMC Tournament, moves to 35-12 on the year and will play Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Hannibal-LaGrange College.

 

Junior outfielder Molly Reed (Carrollton, Ill./Carrollton) (Carrollton, Ill./Carrollton) was also perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with four runs scored, while sophomore outfielder Kayla White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) (Bumcombe, Ill./Vienna) and senior infielder Leah Cometto (Coulterville, Ill./Coulterville) (Coulterville, Ill./Coulterville) each added a pair of hits. Cometto scored three times while White crossed the plate twice in the win. Junior shortstop Courtney Aldridge (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) chipped in with a home run and three RBI for the Bearcats.

 

Freshman right-hander Lindsey Christensen (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) allowed just three hits to pick up the victory for McKendree. Christensen walked just one batter and struck nine.

 

The Bearcats jumped in front with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The first three runners reached base in the frame before Maue and Aldridge each drew a bases-loaded walk to give McKendree its two-run cushion.

 

In the second inning the Bearcats scored four times to build a 6-0 lead. Maue provided a two-out, two-run double, and Aldridge followed with a two-run home run. McKendree broke the contest open with five runs in the third inning as junior infielder Rachael Ostertag (O' Fallon, Mo./Francis Howell) (O’Fallon, Mo./Francis Howell) delivered an RBI single before Maue’s grand slam.

 

McKendree closed out the scoring with two runs in the fourth inning. Ostertag drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, and senior infielder Ashley Wombacher (Breese, Ill./Breese Mater Dei) (Breese, Ill./Mater Dei) added a run-scoring single.