(LEBANON, Ill., April 23)- The McKendree University softball team split its doubleheader against Missouri Baptist University on Monday, dropping game one in eight innings, 4-1, before bouncing back to win game two, 7-2.

The Bearcats are now 19-22 overall and will host Lindenwood University for senior day on Wednesday, April 25th for a doubleheader at 2 p.m.

Both teams struggled offensively while fighting a stiff win blowing straight in. A single by Missouri Baptist's Jenna Bentlage scored Megan Wildbauer from second to give Missouri Baptist a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. Freshman Erica Johnson (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) scored for McKendree on a fielder's choice by Kari Frazier (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon HS) to tie the game in the seventh inning and send the game to extra innings.

The Spartans scored three runs on two hits and an error in the eighth inning to take a 4-1 lead and the Bearcats weren't able to get on the board in the bottom of the inning to drop game one, 4-1.

Senior pitcher BethAnn Swartz (Urbana, Ill./Urbana HS) fell to 3-9 overall and was tabbed with the loss in relief.

McKendree scored four runs on five hits, including three doubles, in the first inning to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The Bearcats added one more run in the third inning on a single by junior third baseman Dana Schulte (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) that advanced Johnson to third, only for Johnson to score on a fielding error by the shortstop to extend the lead to 5-0.

A single by Johnson in the fifth inning scored junior first baseman Tierney McKay (Ashley, Ill./Nashville Community HS) and junior catcher Emily Mouyard (Johnson City, Ill./Johnson City) to push the lead out to 7-0, only for the Spartans to score two runs in the top of the sixth. The Bearcats held Missouri Baptist hitless in its final at bat to clinch the victory.

Swartz improved to 4-9 overall and had two strikeouts in the win. Johnson and Mouyard led McKendree with two hits each.