(BOURBONNAIS, Ill., April 6)- The McKendree University softball team routed Judson University, 8-2, but was shutout by Davenport University (Mich.), 6-0, to split its two games at the Olivet Nazarene University Invitational.

The Bearcats fall to 15-18 overall and will play host Olivet Nazarene at 1 p.m., on Saturday, before facing Aquinas COllege (Mich.) at 3 p.m.

McKendree 8, Judson 2

McKendree blew the game open with four runs in the second inning on its way to an 8-2 win over Judson University.

After a scoreless first inning, freshman centerfielder Erica Johnson (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior third baseman Dana Schulte (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin). A double by sophomore designated player Kay Koonce (Greenville, Ill./Greenville) scored Johnson to put the Bearcats up 1-0. Freshman rightfielder Eleni Polites (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) hit an RBI single that scored Koonce during the next at-bat, and Polites stole second base during the next at bat. Freshman shortstop Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) reached first on a fielding error by the first baseman and Polites would come around to score on the error to give the Bearcats a 3-0 lead. A single by sophomore leftfielder Caitlin Stredde (Pingree Grove, Ill./South Elgin) scored Ponce and McKendree led 4-0.

In the third inning, junior third baseman Dana Schulte (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) reached on a two-out error by the second baseman. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, a single by sophomore second baseman Kendyll Koester (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon HS) scored Schulte to put the Bearcats up 5-0. Judson scored their first run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to cut its deficit to 5-1.

A double by junior catcher Emily Mouyard (Johnson City, Ill./Johnson City) scored freshman first baseman Morgan Schulte (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) from second in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 6-1, and following a Judson run in the bottom of the sixth, Ponce hit a two-run homer to put McKendree up 8-2.

Senior pitcher Autumn Allen (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East HS) improved to 9-3 overall and fanned seven batters in the win.

Five McKendree players had multiple hits in the game, led by Ponce's two hits, two RBI and two runs scored.

McKendree 0, Davenport 6

After three scoreless innings, Davenport scored six runs over the final three innings to shutout McKendree 6-0. Panther pitcher Karlee Despres pitched her third no-hitter of the season against the Bearcats.

Senior pitcher BethAnn Swartz (Urbana, Ill./Urbana HS) fell to 2-7 overall in the loss, striking out two in six innings pitched.