(TUCSON, Ariz., March 14)—The McKendree University softball team picked up a valuable win at the Tucson Invitational Friday with a 6-3 win over NAIA Region V-foe Missouri Valley College.

McKendree, now 5-4 on the season, will play Cornerstone University Friday afternoon for their final game of the Tucson Invitational.

McKendree junior catcher Angie Maue (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin HS) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) led off the fourth inning with a solo home run, her first of the season, to take a 1-0 lead. Missouri Valley took advantage of two errors and scored off a single to tie the game 1-1 after four innings.

After a scoreless fifth inning, a single by junior outfielder Amber Nikolauzyk (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah HS) (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) scored senior designated player Ashley Wombacher (Breese, Ill./Breese Mater Dei) (Breese, Ill./Breese Mater Dei) and senior shortstop Courtney Aldridge (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) to take a 3-1 lead. A single by Kayla White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna) scored freshman second baseman Nicole Steele (Danville, Ill./Schlarman) (Danville, Ill./Schlarman) to push the Bearcat lead to 4-1.

In the top of the seventh, McKendree added to their lead with Maue's second home run of the game, a two-run shot, to make the score 6-1. Missouri Valley scored two in the bottom of the seventh on a home run, but sophomore pitcher Katie Ward (White Hall, Ill./North Greene HS) (White Hall, Ill./North Greene) forced a pop-out and struck out the final batter of the game to secure the win.

Ward improved to 3-0 on the season, throwing seven innings and striking out eight and Maue led the Bearcats with two home runs and three RBI.

-McK-