(Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 9) – The McKendree University softball team opened the 2018 campaign with two wins at the Charger Chillout 2.0 hosted Alabama-Huntsville today.

Game 1 – 9 Innings
Kentucky Wesleyan 5 McKendree 4
A three run first inning by the Panthers would give Kentucky Wesleyan an early lead until McKendree got on the board with a Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) single in the bottom of the third. The Bearcats would score three in the bottom of the seventh on a Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) single and Caitlyn Lowry (St. Louis, MO/Notre Dame) single to send the game into extras. In the ninth the Panthers were able to score to take a 5-4 lead.

Game 2
McKendree 5 Mississippi College 4
The Bearcats bounced back in game two as B. Gajewski opened the bottom of the first with an RBI double to take an early 1-0 lead. Lowry had an RBI single to right field in the bottom of the second to take back the lead at 2-1. Trailing 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth Lowry picked up her second RBI of the game on a single up the middle. Abbie Bailey (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) then drove in the go head run on a single to left field. M. Gajewski picked up her first collegiate win on the mound after seven innings of work.

Game 3
McKendree 9 Georgia Southwestern State 6
A big third inning for the Bearcats including a B. Gajewski two run long ball put five runs on the board. In the fourth the Bearcats picked up a run on an RBI walk for Paige Hayden (Independence, MO/Fort Osage) increasing the lead to 6-0. In the bottom of the fifth inning GSW added four runs to bring the score to 7-5. The Canes added another in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Bearcat lead to 7-6. Lowry and Bailey would add RBI's in the seventh to give McKendree the 9-6 win.

The softball team is back in action next weekend in Nashville, TN at the Music City Invitational hosted by Trevecca Nazarene University.