(ST. CHARLES, Mo., April 10)—The McKendree University softball team stepped out of Great Lakes Valley Conference action Tuesday to visit Lindenwood University for a doubleheader in St. Charles, Mo. The Bearcats clawed their way to a 5-3 win in game one before the host Lions rallied past the Bearcats to win the nightcap, 6-2.
 
The split gives McKendree an overall record of 27-12. The Bearcats are scheduled to host Drury University in a GLVC twinbill on Saturday with first pitch set for noon at Bearcat Field.
 
For the second time in McKendree's last three doubleheaders, sophomore infielder Caitlyn Lowry (St. Louis, MO/Notre Dame) delivered a key seventh-inning hit to put the Bearcats in front to stay. During game two of Saturday's twinbill at William Jewell College, Lowry blasted a two-run homer with one out in the top of the seventh inning to propel McKendree to a 7-6 win. On Tuesday, Lowry's RBI double with one out in the top of the seventh inning broke a 2-2 tie and helped lead McKendree to the game one triumph.
 
Freshman Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) added three hits and three RBI in the doubleheader while she earned the game one win in the circle for McKendree. Sophomore outfielder Abbie Bailey (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) added two hits in the nightcap for the Bearcats.
 
In game one, McKendree broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Senior catcher Rebecca Franke (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) drew a one-out walk before senior Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest) doubled to move Franke to third base. Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) stepped in next and delivered a two-run single to give the Bearcats the first lead of the day. Lindenwood (19-19) answered with single runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to knot the contest at 2-2.
 
Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) led off the top of the seventh inning with a single down the left-field line. Senior Kyla Haukap (Dawson, Ill./Buffalo Tri-City) came on as a pinch-runner and moved to second following a sacrifice bunt by freshman infielder Haegen Boyer (Eddyville, IA/Eddyville). Haukap reached third base following a wild pitch and scored when Lowry laced her RBI double to the left-center field gap to give the Bearcats a 3-2 advantage. Lowry later scored on a passed ball before freshman Alli Like drove in the third and final run of the inning with an RBI groundout.
 
The Lions tried to rally on junior closer Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community), scoring one run and getting the tying run to the plate with one out. But Ingram retired the final two Lindenwood batters to earn her team-best sixth save of 2018. Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) tossed the first six innings for McKendree and gave up one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts. Gajewski pushed her record to 15-4 on the season.
 
McKendree jumped out to a 2-0 lead the top of the first inning of game two. Senior infielder Tylin Stephens (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) led off with a bunt single and scored when Franke ripped an RBI triple down the right-field line. Two batters later, Miranda Gajewski (Kronenwetter, WI/D.C. Everest) reached on an infield single to plate Franke and give the Bearcats an early two-run advantage.
 
The host Lions countered with a run in the bottom of the first inning before scoring twice in the third inning to take the lead for good at 3-2. Lindenwood then tacked on an insurance run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to seal the win and gain the split with McKendree.