(LEBANON, Ill., April 25)- The McKendree University softball team ended its season on Wednesday afternoon after splitting a doubleheader against Lindenwood University. The Bearcats won game one, 5-0, but fell in game two, 2-1.

McKendree ended its season with an overall record of 20-23 and will begin its first full season of play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2013.

The Bearcats took a 1-0 lead in the second inning and added four additional runs in the fourth inning to cruise to the 5-0 win in game one.

Juniro catcher Emily Mouyard (Johnson City, Ill./Johnson City) led off the second inning with a single and would advance to second on a single by freshman outfielder Erica Johnson (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin). A late, errant throw by the Lindenwood pitcher on the play allowed Mouyard to advance to third, and she scored later in the inning on an RBI single by junior third baseman Dana Schulte (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) to take the 1-0 lead.

Freshman first baseman Morgan Schulte (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) led off the fourth inning with a solo home run, and McKendree added three more runs in the inning on two hits to jump out to a 5-0 lead.

Senior pitcher Autumn Allen (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East HS) only surrendered three hits in the contest and closed out her senior season with a 12-4 record overall. Allen ends her collegiate career tied with Mindy Jameson and Amy Quirin for the top spot in school history with 17 shutouts. She is also ranked second with 52 wins and 63 complete games, third with 515 innings pitched and fourth with 457 strikeouts.

Johnson, Schulte, and senior rightfielder Kari Frazier (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon HS) each had two hits in the game, with D. Schulte leading the way with a double, two RBI and a run scored.

Game two started in similar fashion with an RBI single by D. Schulte that scored Johnson from third to take a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Lions bounced back in the fourth inning and tied the game on an RBI single, and then scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh on another RBI single. The Bearcats did not reach base in their final at bat to lose game two, 2-1.

Senior pitcher BethAnn Swartz (Urbana, Ill./Urbana HS) fell to 4-10 overall, but had six strikeouts in her final collegiate game.

Johnson and Schulte each had two hits in game two to lead McKendree at the plate.