(O'FALLON, Ill., March 19)- The McKendree University softball team split its two games on day two at the McKendree Invitational. The Bearcats defeated Iowa Wesleyan College, 12-2, in game one, before dropping game two to No. 15 Olivet Nazarene University, 5-0.

McKendree will take an overall record of 8-9 into the third and final day of the McKendree Invitational on Sunday, March 20. The Bearcats will face Aquinas College (Mich.) at 10 a.m., before facing Benedictine University-Springfield at 2 p.m.

McKendree took a 1-0 lead in game one on a single by sophomore catcher Emily Mouyard (Johnson City, Ill., Johnson City HS) that scored junior outfielder Kari Frazier (Lebanon, Ill., Lebanon HS). The Bearcats added another run in the top of the second on a double by Frazier that score junior second baseman Casey White (Buncombe, Ill., Vienna HS). The Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to one, 2-1.

Neither team would cross home plate again until the McKendree busted the game wide open with six runs in the fifth inning. Freshman outfielder Caitlin Stredde (Elgin, Ill., South Elgin HS) scored on a bunt single by senior first baseman Cathy Webb (Mascoutah, Ill., Mascoutah HS), and added two more on a single by freshman designated player Kendyll Koester (Lebanon, Ill., Lebanon HS) that scored two. A single by junior outfielder Ashleigh Murray (Mascoutah, Ill., Mascoutah HS) scored White and Koester, and a single by Frazier scored one more to put McKendree out front 8-1 in the fifth inning.

Koster hit another RBI single in the sixth inning, and after the Tigers added one run in the bottom of the inning, the Bearcats added three more in the top of the seventh, including two on an RBI single by Webb and another on an error by the pitcher.

Freshman pitcher Heather Deering (Breese, Ill., Mater Dei Catholic HS) earned her first collegiate victory after striking out eight, while walking four and giving up six hits. White led all players with four hits and tow runs scored, while Webb and Koester each had three hits and three RBI in the 12-2 win.

Game two was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when No. 15 Olivet Nazarene scored a run each on a single and a double. They added three more in the sixth inning to defeat the Bearcats 5-0.

Junior pitcher Autumn Allen (Fairview Heights, Ill., Belleville East HS) fell to 5-3 overall on the season in the loss, while striking out eight and walking two.

Sophomore third baseman Dana Schulte (New Baden, Ill., Wesclin) led McKendree with two hits.