(LEBANON, Ill., April 11)- The McKendree University softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to University of Missouri-St. Louis on Monday, despite having early leads in both contests.

The Bearcats fell to 21-16 overall and will travel to Walnut Ridge, Ark., on Wednesday, April 13th for a American Midwest Conference doubleheader at 2 p.m.

A triple by senior designated player Ashley Parrott (Belleville, Ill., Belleville West HS) in the second inning of game one scored two to give McKendree an early 2-0 lead, only for the Tritons to stage a late comeback. UMSL took advatage of two errors by the Bearcats in the fifth inning to tie the game 2-2, and added two more runs on a two-run home run in the sixth by Leslie Davis to take a 4-2 lead. The Tritons added one more run on an error in the seventh inning to earn the win.

Junior pitcher BethAnn Swartz (Urbana, Ill., Urbana HS) fell to 6-9 overall with the loss in game one, striking out seven over five innings in relief, while giving up five runs, with only two being earned runs.

Junior outfielder Kari Frazier (Lebanon, Ill., Lebanon HS) led off game two with a home run to put McKendree in a 1-0 lead after one inning, and a single by senior outfielder Jamie Corbier (O'Fallon, Ill., O'Fallon Township HS) in the second inning scored freshman shortstop Kendyll Koester (Lebanon, Ill., Lebanon HS) from third to extend McKendree's lead to 2-0 after two. The Tritons cut the deficit in half on a sac fly in the third inning and took a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning on a two-run home run by JaCee Ellis. UMSL extended its lead to 5-2 with two more runs in the sixth inning, only for McKendree to score on a sac fly to come within striking distance, 5-3. A single by sophomore first baseman Dana Schulte (New Baden, Ill., Wesclin) scored freshman outfielder Caitlin Stredde (Elgin, Ill., South Elgin HS) to make the score 5-4, but despite loading the bases with one out, McKendree could not score to drop game two.

Swartz was tabbed with the loss in game two, striking out one and giving up three runs. Frazier, Koester and Corbier each had two hits for McKendree in game two.