GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE at LEWIS -- Friday, March 23, 2018, Noon (DH)
Lewis Softball Field -- Romeoville, Ill.
WATCH LIVE (Lewis Broadcast)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
LEWIS SEASON STATISTICS

McKENDREE at WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE -- Sunday, March 25, 2018, Noon (DH)
Case Softball Complex -- Kenosha, Wis.
WATCH LIVE (UW-Parkside Broadcast -- Weather Permitting)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
UW-PARKSIDE SEASON STATISTICS

(LEBANON, Ill., March 22)--The McKendree University softball team will look to stay on a roll as it heads north for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheaders this weekend. The Bearcats will first visit Lewis University for a noon twinbill on Friday before completing its trip with a doubleheader Sunday at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

McKendree begins the weekend with an overall record of 18-7. The Bearcats are currently 4-2 in GLVC play and sit in a three-way tie for fourth place in the league standings. McKendree won three of four games last weekend at home including a victory over No. 12-ranked University of Indianapolis on Saturday, 8-1. Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest), the reigning GLVC Pitcher of the Week, earned the win over the Greyhounds by allowing one earned run and four hits over five innings of work with three strikeouts. With three wins in the circle last week, Gajewski improved to 11-1 on the season, and her 11 victories is tied for the conference lead in the category. 

As a team, McKendree leads the GLVC in earned-run average at 2.65. The Bearcats have held their opponents to just a .229 average through 25 games, which is the lowest opponents' batting average in the conference. As a team, McKendree has tossed three shutouts on the years, two of which came in Sunday's sweep of Bellarmine University (11-0 and 6-0). Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community) is tied for second in the GLVC with three saves so far this season. 

Offensively, McKendree is fourth in the GLVC with a .306 average. Two starters are hitting above .400 -- Rebecca Franke (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) at .468 and Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) at .405. Four other regulars are sitting over the .300 mark as well -- Caitlyn Lowry (St. Louis, MO/Notre Dame) at .351, Hannah Murphy (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt North) at .324, Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) at .316 and Tylin Stephens (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) at .313. Franke is second in the conference in hits with 36, while Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) is close behind in fifth with 34 safeties. Franke also ranks second in the conference in on-base percentage at .554. Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) is tied for the league lead with 11 doubles, and Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) is tied for sixth in the GLVC with her team-leading five homers. 

Following its northern trip, McKendree will return home to host four GLVC games on Easter weekend. The Bearcats will face Quincy University next Friday, March 30, before the University of Illinois Springfield comes to Lebanon for a doubleheader next Saturday, March 31. 

ABOUT LEWIS
The Flyers enters Friday's doubleheader with an overall record of 14-10 and a 3-3 mark in GLVC action. Lewis was swept on the road Sunday at Missouri S&T, 5-0 and 4-3. Sarah Demasi leads the Flyers in average through 24 games at .348. Demasi has driven in 13 runs, which is second on the team to Kaylee Prieto's 17 RBI. Prieto also leads the Flyers with three home runs and 19 runs scored while posting a .316 average. 

In the circle, Lewis is led by the tandem of Dara Sanders and Cassie Shaw. Sanders has a team-high 10 victories as she holds a 10-4 record with a 2.64 ERA in 90 innings pitched. She also leads the Flyers with 55 strikeouts. Shaw is 4-3 with a team-best 1.35 ERA in 51 2/3 innings. Shaw also boast the lone complete game and save for Lewis this season. The Flyers are currently third in the league in ERA at 2.70. 

McKendree and Lewis split their 2017 doubleheader that was played last April 8 at Bearcat Field. The Flyers registered a 3-0 win in the opener before the Bearcats bounced back with a 12-1 win in five innings in game two. 

ABOUT WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE
The Rangers bring a 12-12 overall record and 3-3 conference ledger into its scheduled doubleheader on Saturday at home against the University of Southern Indiana. UW-Parkside swept its most recent doubleheader on Sunday at Maryville University, 3-2 and 5-4. Jessica Shields paces the Rangers' offense with a .349 batting average and leads the GLVC with 22 stolen bases. Kellie Fenza is second on the team in both batting average (.317) and runs batted in (16), and is tied for the Rangers' lead with two home runs. Megan Aliverti, a .297 hitter for UW-Parkside, has a team-best 17 RBI. 

Alyssa Hrncar shows the way for the Rangers' pitching staff with an 8-4 record and a 3.22 ERA. Allison Hausl has UW-Parkside's other four victories this season and leads the staff with 21 strikeouts. 

The Bearcats and Rangers last met on April 9, 2017 in Kenosha, Wis. McKendree swept the doubleheader, winning game one 7-5 in nine innings before rolling to an 8-0 triumph in the nightcap.