(ROLLA, Mo., Apr. 23) – Standing strong behind the arm of senior Holly Magre (Festus, Mo./St. Pius X), McKendree softball (28-19, 14-10 GLVC) picked up a 3-2 game one victory over Missouri S&T (19-28, 11-13 GLVC) Sunday afternoon. The host Lady Miners took game two, 6-4, in comeback fashion on a walk-off grand slam.
Junior catcher Rebecca Franke (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) went a perfect 5-for-5 from the dish, recording a run and two RBI.
Game one: McKendree 3, Missouri S&T 2
Senior right-hander Holly Magre (Festus, Mo./St. Pius X) (14-7) tossed another gem inside the circle. Magre surrendered two runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out seven. Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community ) picked up her sixth save of the year, in two innings of relief work, striking out three.
Recording the Bearcats only extra-base hit, Franke shot a double to left center in the top half of the sixth to score the Bearcats' winning run.
McKendree notched a run in the opening frame to take an early 1-0 lead. Jamie Doggendorf (Dittmer, Mo./Northwest) crossed the plate following a wild pitch by S&T starter Avery English. The Lady Miners had their opportunities throughout, stranding four runners in the first four innings.
The Bearcats extended their lead as Doggendorf recorded a two-out single in the fifth. Swiping second base on the following pitch, Doggendorf crossed the plate thanks to a Lady Miner error on a single by Sara Radae (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville ).
S&T stole one back in the bottom half of the inning, using a pair of doubles to cut the McKendree lead down to one. The Lady Miners were not easy to shut down, trailing by two in the seventh, S&T sparked a two out rally. Monica Weiss singled to center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Olivia Young kept the Lady Miners hopes alive with a double to score Weiss, making it a one-run ball game. Out of the bullpen Ingram buckled down against cleanup hitter Savannah Fedorchak, recording a strikeout to secure a game one victory.
Game two: Missouri S&T 6, McKendree 4
Senior infielder Rachel Hastings (Forsyth, Ill./Maroa-Forsyth ) went 2-for-3 at the plate, including a home run in the sixth.
Freshmen Kylee Silliman (Fremont, IA/Oskaloosa ) picked up the no decision in 5.2 innings of work allowing two runs on eight hits and four strikeouts. Reliever Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community ) (2-2) suffered the loss allowing four runs in 0.2 innings of work.
A three-run sixth inning helped the Bearcats extend their lead late in the game. Highlighting the offensive explosion, Hastings sent her eighth long ball of the year over the wall. Dani Schoenbacher (Tamaroa, Ill./Pinckeyville) extended the Bearcats' lead with a double to center scoring Franke and Stephens.
The tables turned for the start of game two as S&T jumped on the freshman right-hander early. A two out single by S&T's Fedorchak scored the first run of game two as the Lady Miners lead 1-0.
Franke continued the dominance at the plate, putting McKendree on the board with a single to score Hastings in the fourth. McKendree's dominate sixth inning gave the Bearcats a 4-1 lead heading into the bottom half of the frame.
S&T bats came alive following the Bearcats' rally. The Lady Miners strung a pair of hits together followed by a sacrifice fly to cut McKendree's lead down two, headed into the final frame.
McKendree went down in order in the seventh, as the Lady Miners were able to put runners in scoring position with back-to-back singles. In for relief once again, Ingram delivered a seven pitch walk to load the bases with no outs. Ingram attempting to work out of jam fell just short, surrendering a walk-off grand slam to S&T's Hannah Fanceschini.
The Bearcats are back in action tomorrow after in Springfield, Mo. as they take on Drury University in a GLVC doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
