(LEBANON, Ill., March 18)—The McKendree University softball team combined a strong day both at the plate and in the circle to register a Great Lakes Valley Conference sweep of visiting Bellarmine University Sunday afternoon at Bearcat Field.
 
The Bearcats pounded out 29 hits in the two games while four different pitchers combined to limit the Knights to just five hits on the day. The sweep gives McKendree an overall record of 18-7 while moving to 4-2 in GLVC play. The Bearcats will head north next weekend for a pair of conference doubleheaders, beginning with two games Saturday afternoon at Lewis University. First pitch is set for noon.
 
Senior catcher Rebecca Franke (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) led the offensive onslaught for McKendree with six hits on the day, including a perfect 4-for-4 performance in game two. Franke also drove in three runs and had three doubles among her six hits. Freshman Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) added five hits and was also the winning hurler in game one, allowing three hits with five strikeouts over five innings of work. Gajewski moves to 11-1 in the circle this season.
 
Freshman infielder Haegen Boyer (Eddyville, IA/Eddyville) continued her hot-hitting weekend with two home runs in game one, which included a walk-off grand slam in the sixth inning. Boyer drove in six runs in the opener. Sophomore outfielder Abbie Bailey (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) also joined in the fun with three hits and scored four runs for the Bearcats. Senior infielder Tylin Stephens (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) also collected three hits in the twinbill for McKendree.
 
Senior Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) started the scoring for McKendree in the bottom of the first inning of game one when she blasted a solo home run deep over the left field fence. It was Gajewski's fifth homer of the season, which leads the team. The Bearcats added three runs in the second inning to grab a 4-0 advantage. Stephens delivered an RBI single before Franke belted a two-run double to the fence in left-center field.
 
Boyer added a sacrifice fly in the third inning to stretch the McKendree lead to five runs. In the fourth, sophomore Hannah Murphy (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt North) ripped an RBI double down the right field line to score Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest), who reached on a one-out walk. In the fifth inning, Boyer hit the first of her two home runs, a solo shot to left field, to stake the Bearcats to a 7-0 advantage. An inning later, McKendree loaded the bases with two outs, and Boyer stepped in and ended the contest with a grand slam.
 
After Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) shut down Bellarmine (10-14, 1-5 GLVC) over the first five innings, freshman Konnor Arrowood (Fulton, MO/South Callaway) struck out two batters in the sixth inning to finish off the three-hitter for the Bearcats.
 
In the nightcap, McKendree again grabbed an early lead when Franke doubled with one out in the first inning and came around to score on an RBI double by Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest). In the third inning, Franke led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) singled to advance Franke to third base. Two batters later, Franke scampered home on an RBI groundout by Murphy to push the Bearcats' lead to 2-0.
 
McKendree erupted for two runs each in the fourth and fifth innings to close out the scoring on the day. In the fourth. Arrowood came up as a pinch-hitter and delivered an RBI single before Franke added another run-scoring double to extend the margin to 4-0. Sophomore infielder Caitlyn Lowry (St. Louis, MO/Notre Dame) produced an RBI single in the fifth before the Bearcats' final run of the afternoon scored on a Bellarmine error.
 
Sophomore Kylee Silliman (Fremont, IA/Oskaloosa) was sharp in the circle for McKendree, giving up just one hit over the first five innings of game two. Junior Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community) allowed just one hit in her two innings of work to shut the door on the Knights. The Bearcats' defense also turned a season-high three double plays in the nightcap.