Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (LEBANON, Ill., April 13)- The McKendree University softball team earned a 4-2 win in game one, but dropped game two 6-5 to split a doubleheader against University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday afternoon.

The Bearcats are now 9-20 overall and 7-14 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and will host Lewis University on Sunday, April 14 for a conference doubleheader at noon.

McKendree led 4-0 heading into the final inning of game one and held off a late rally by the Rangers to win game one 4-2.

An RBI double by sophomore pitcher Kelsie Stoszkus (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) scored sophomore centerfielder Erica Johnson (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) from first, and Stoszkus would later score from third on a ground out by freshman catcher Marla Schulte (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) to put the Bearcats in front 2-0.

McKendree increased its lead to 4-0 after scoring single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. A single by Johnson plated junior leftfielder Caitlin Stredde (Pingree Grove, Ill./South Elgin) in the fifth inning and senior third baseman Madi Exton (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) singled up the middle in the sixth inning to score junior second baseman Ashley Scheffler (Elgin, Ill./Burlington Central).

Wisconsin-Parkside scored twice in the top of the seventh, but were unable to tie the game to give the Bearcats the 4-2 win.

Stoszkus improved to 3-9 overall on the season and had four strikeouts, while Johnson had two hits, with one run scored and one RBI in the win.

McKendree scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh but couldn't complete the come back to fall in game two 6-5.

The Bearcats cut the defcit to 4-1 in the fifth inning when Stoszkus scored from third on a bases loaded wild pitch, only for the Rangers to extend their lead to 6-1 in the seventh inning.

McKendree came within one, 6-5, on a two-out grand slam by Stredde, her second round-tripper of the season, but couldn't score again to drop game two.