(ST. LOUIS, Mo., April 25) – Junior Katie Ward (White Hall, Ill./North Greene HS) (White Hall, Ill./North Greene) and freshman Autumn Allen (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East HS) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East) combined to throw a perfect game Saturday in game two of McKendree's final American Midwest Conference doubleheader at Harris-Stowe State University 6-0. The Bearcats won game one 6-2.
McKendree, now 24-13 overall and 12-4 in the AMC, will host Maryville University on Sunday for a doubleheader at 2 p.m. McKendree will begin postseason play on Thursday in Jefferson City, Mo., at the AMC Tournament. Brackets will be released early this week.
Game one was scoreless in the top of the second inning when junior rightfielder Taylee Spicuzza (Dahlgren, Ill./Hamilton County HS) (Dahlgren, Ill./Hamilton County) led off the frame with a double. She would move to third on a passed ball and scored on a sac bunt by freshman second baseman Cassi Brown (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin HS) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) to give McKendree a 1-0 lead.
The Hornets evened the score in the bottom of the second inning, only for the Bearcats to retake the lead in the fourth inning. A single by junior designated player Christine Juehne (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin HS) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) scored sophomore pinch runner Jamie Corbier (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township HS) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) to make the score 2-1.
McKendree put the game out of reach in the fifth inning, scoring junior third baseman Natalee Rujawitz (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon HS) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) and senior centerfielder Kayla White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna) on an error by the first baseman. A double by junior shortstop Amanda Snyder (Belleville, Ill./Mascoutah HS) (Belleville, Ill./Mascoutah) scored two more runs to give McKendree a 6-1 lead. The Hornets scored one run in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't score again to give the Bearcats a 6-2 win.
Senior pitcher Amy Quirin (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West HS) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) struck out seven and had no walks in the win, her tenth of the season. White led the Bearcats with two hits and one run scored. Snyder also had a double and two RBI.
In game two, McKendree scored on RBI singles by sophomore first baseman Cathy Webb (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah HS) (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) and Snyder, before freshman second baseman Casey White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna) hit a two out triple that scored two to put the Bearcats up 4-0.
Katie Ward (White Hall, Ill./North Greene HS) and Autumn Allen (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East HS) pitched three and four innings, respectively, and both had three strikeouts with no walks for the combined perfect game. Ward was awarded the win to improve to 7-3 on the season.
Nine McKendree players had hits in the contest with Juehne and Casey White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) both having a triple and Kayla White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna HS) with a double.
-McK-
