(HANNIBAL, Mo., April 15) – The McKendree University softball team picked up two narrow American Midwest Conference victories over Hannibal-LaGrange College on Wednesday. The Bearcats scored late to win game one 4-3 and held on to win game two 1-0.

McKendree, now 19-12 overall and 8-4 in the AMC, will travel to Springfield, Ill., this Saturday and Sunday for the UIS Invitational hosted by the University of Illinois at Springfield. McKendree will play twice on Saturday, facing Calumet College of St. Joseph at noon and St. Xavier University at 4 p.m.

Trailing 3-0 in game one, McKendree would even the score in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore first baseman Cathy Webb (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah HS) (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) and junior third baseman Lindsay Newbold (Herrin,. Ill./Herrin HS) (Herrin, Ill./Herrin) both drew bases loaded walks to bring the Bearcats within one, 3-2. A single by junior rightfielder Taylee Spicuzza (Dahlgren, Ill./Hamilton County HS) (Dahlgren, Ill./Hamilton County) scored junior designated player Christine Juehne (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin HS) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) to tie the game 3-3.

The Bearcats would the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single by Spicuzza that scored Webb from second. Senior pitcher Amy Quirin (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West HS) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) posted two of her nine strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh inning to give McKendree the win.

Quirin improved to 8-5 on the season in the victory and Spicuzza had three hits and two RBI in the win. Freshman Cassi Brown (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin HS) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) was a perfect three-for-three from the plate and Webb also had two hits, an RBI and a run scored in the win.

Junior pitcher Katie Ward (White Hall, Ill./North Greene HS) (White Hall, Ill./North Greene) struck out ten Trojan batters in game two to pick up her fifth win of the season. The scoreless tie was broken in the bottom of the fourth inning by junior third baseman Natalee Rujawitz (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon HS) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) that scored Juehne from third base to give McKendree the only run it needed in the win.

Ward posted the shutout victory in seven innings of work, while giving up three hits and walking one. Rujawitz, Webb, sophomore Jamie Corbier (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township HS) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon), freshman Casey White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna), and freshman Lindsay McGuire (Benton, Ill./Benton HS) (Benton, Ill./Benton) all had one hit for the Bearcats.

-McK-