Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 (FLORENCE, Ala., Feb. 15)- The McKendree University softball team went 0-3 in its first day of competition in 2014 at the University of North Alabama Invitational.

The Bearcats will face University of West Florida in two games at 10 a.m., and Noon on Sunday, Feb. 16 to close out their weekend.

Game One
Christian Brothers University - 6
McKendree University - 3

In the first game of the day against Christian Brothers University (Tenn.), McKendree scored three runs in its first trip to the plate in the first inning, but was unable to keep the momentum rolling in a 6-3 season opening loss.

Senior outfielder Caitlin Stredde (Pingree Grove, Ill./South Elgin) doubled down the right field line to open up the bottom of the first, and later scored on a double to right-center by junior pitcher Kelsie Stoszkus (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) to take a 1-0 lead. A two-out single by junior third baseman Lindsay Schmitz (Streator, Ill./Streator Township) up the middle scored junior first baseman Morgan Schulte (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) and junior centerfielder Erica Johnson (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) and the Bearcats led 3-0 after the first inning.

The Lady Bucs tied the game up in the top of the third inning, and added single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings to dish the Bearcats the season opening loss.

Schmitz led McKendree with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate and two RBI. Stoszkus fell to 0-1 on the season with the loss and had two strikeouts.

Game Two
University of North Alabama - 8
McKendree University - 6

The Bearcats trailed 8-3 entering their final at bat and cut the deficit to two, but the comeback bid fell short in an 8-6 loss to University of North Alabama in the second game of the day.

McKendree trailed 5-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, but crossed the plate three times in the frame. Schmitz hit a one-out, two-run homer to left field, her first at McKendree, to cut the score to 5-2. Johnson and freshman rightfielder Dani Schoenbacher (Tamaroa, Ill./Pinckeyville) followed with back-to-back doubles that gave the Bearcats its third and final run of the inning.

The Lions added three runs in the top of the seventh to take an 8-3 lead, but McKendree wasn't finished scoring as freshman second baseman Jamie Doggendorf (Dittmer, Mo./Northwest) hit a two-out, three-run homer to cut the deficit to 8-6. The Bearcats drew a walk to put the tying run on base, but grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.

Doggendorf had two hits, three RBI and a run scored at the plate, and junior pitcher Susan Goetze (Green Valley, Ill./Midwest Central) fell to 0-1 on the season with the loss, and had two strikeouts.

Game Three
McKendree University - 3
University of North Alabama - 15 (5 inn.)

McKendree took a 3-1 lead after the top of the second inning, but the North Alabama offense found its groove and scored 14 unanswered runs in a 15-3 loss in five innings in its third and final game of the day.

The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Bearcats scored three runs on two hits and an error in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. An RBI single by freshman third baseman Hanna Branch (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) scored senior pinch runner Kay Koonce (Greenville, Ill./Greenville) from third, and sophomore catcher Marla Schulte (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) followed with a double down the right field line that scored Branch and Mo. Schulte to put McKendree in front.

The Lions took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the second and added a single run in the third inning to extend the lead to 5-3, before scoring 10 runs in the fourth inning to put things out of reach for the Bearcats.

Sophomore pitcher Taylor Barnouski (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) fell to 0-1 on the season with the loss and had two strikeouts, while Branch was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.