(LEBANON, Ill., April 3)- The McKendree University softball team swept a doubleheader over Lewis University on Sunday to extend its winning streak to six games.

The Bearcats improve to 17-19 overall and 11-7 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and will host Saint Joseph's College on Saturday, April 9 for a doubleheader at 12 p.m.

McKendree scored four runs in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead and scored two more runs in the fifth inning to win 7-2 in game one. The Bearcats trailed 2-1 entering the third inning, but tied the game on a double by Hanna Branch (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) thats scored Jamie Doggendorf (Dittmer, Mo./Northwest) from first. Dani Schoenbacher (Tamaroa, Ill./Pinckeyville) added to more runs on the scoreboard later in the inning with a three-run homer.

Rachel Hastings (Forsyth, Ill./Maroa-Forsyth High School) led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to increase the lead to 6-2, and a pinch hit double by Samantha Cameron (Dix, Ill./Centralia, Ill.) later in the inning brought in Kyla Haukap (Dawson, Ill./Buffalo Tri-City) made the score 7-2.

Holly Magre (Festus, Mo./St. Pius X) improved to 10-6 overall and had eight strikeouts in the win. Hastingshad two hits, including a double to go along with her homer, and two runs scored and an RBI.

The Bearcats rallied from a five-run, first inning deficit in game two to win 9-7. Hastings homered in the second inning to put McKendree on the board, and a sac fly by Branch and single by Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) added two runs in the third inning to cut the score to 5-3.

Trailing 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, a double by Gajewski scored Branch, and a single by Marla Schulte (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) brought in Danielle Sweeney (St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh High School) to cut the deficit to 7-5. Hastings scored on an error and a triple by Liz Klussman (Washington, Mo./Washington) later in the inning scored Schulte and Megan Radae (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville High School) to put McKendree in the lead 8-7. Hastings hit a sac fly in the sixth inning that allowed Doggendorf to score and increase the lead to 9-7.

Taylor Barnouski (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) improved to 2-0 overall with the win in relief and Magre earned her third save of the season. Hastings had three hits with two RBI and two runs scored in the victory.