(QUINCY, Ill., April 12)- The McKendree University softball team earned a doubleheader split at Quincy University on Thursday, winning game one, 4-2, before falling vicitim to a perfect game in game two in 5-0 loss.

The Bearcats are now 16-21 and will host Harris-Stowe State University on Saturday, April 14th for a doubleheader at noon.

McKendree got all the scoring it needed in the fourth inning, scoring four runs on three hits and an error to take a 4-0 lead. Junior catcher Emily Mouyard (Johnson City, Ill./Johnson City) drew a walk to open the inning and advanced to second on a double by sophomore second baseman Kendyll Koester (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon HS).

A single up the middle by junior designated player Tierney McKay (Ashley, Ill./Nashville Community HS) scored Mouyard, and Koester would score on a fielding error by the third baseman on a bunt by freshman rightfielder Eleni Polites (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) to take a 2-0 lead.

A single by sophomore leftfielder Caitlin Stredde (Pingree Grove, Ill./South Elgin) scored McKay to extend the lead to 3-0, and freshman shortstop Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) flew out to rightfield, but Polites scored on the deep fly ball to put the Bearcats up 4-0.

The Hawks scored two in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run homer, but senior pitcher Autumn Allen (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East HS) struck out the final three batters to end the game 4-2.

Allen improved to 10-4 overall and struck out 11 in the win. Stredde and McKay each had two hits in game one to lead McKendree at the plate.

In game two, the Bearcats fell victim to a perfect game by Quincy pitcher Wendy Macias.

The Hawks scored one run in the bottom of the first, but added four additional runs in the fifth inning to earn the 5-0 win.

Freshman pitcher Taylor Blackwell (Highland, Ill./Highland) fell to 3-6 overall with the loss.