(LEBANON, Ill., March 20)- The McKendree University softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to visiting Maryville University on Sunday.

The Bearcats fall to 9-17 overall and 3-5 in the Great lakes Valley Conference, and will travel to Louisville, Ky., on Friday March 25 for a conference doubleheader at Bellarmine University at 12 p.m. ET.

Both teams combined for 15 hits in game one, but a two-run sixth inning by the Saints would be the difference in the 5-4 loss. Maryville led 2-0 after its first at bat, but Tylin Stephens (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs High School) hit a leadoff double to get in scoring position, and a two-run homer by Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) would tie the game. The Saints took a 3-2 lead in the third inning, but McKendree responded again in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run by Hanna Branch (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) to knot the game up 3-3. Maryville regained the lead, 5-3, on a two-run homer of its own in the sixth, and the Bearcats cut the deficit to 5-4 on an RBI single by Rachel Hastings (Forsyth, Ill./Maroa-Forsyth High School) that scored Stephens in the seventh, but it'd be as close as they'd come in the loss. Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community High School) fell to 2-7 overall and had two strikeouts in the loss, while Branch had three hits, includings the home run, one RBI and a run scored.

Offense was harder to come by in game two for the Bearcats, only picking up three hits in a 4-0 loss. Maryville pitcher Nikki Taylor had a 1-0 lead and was flirting with perfection until Branch doubled in the fifth inning. The Saints added three more runs in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 4-0, and McKendree was unable to get on the scoreboard in its final at bat for the loss. Holly Magre (Festus, Mo./St. Pius X) fell to 6-5 overall and had two strikeouts in the loss, while Branch had two doubles to lead the Bearcats offensively.