LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree University softball continued its season-long six game homestand here Saturday afternoon by splitting a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader against Quincy University at Bearcat Field.
 
The Hawks opened the doubleheader with a come-from-behind 7-2 win, before the Bearcats used a three run fourth inning in the nightcap to post 5-0 victory to secure the doubleheader split.
 
With the doubleheader split, McKendree moves its record to 10-12 overall and 2-4 in the GLVC, while Quincy moves to 7-16 overall and 1-5 in the league.
 
The homestand concludes with another GLVC doubleheader on Sunday, March 20 as the Bearcats host Illinois-Springfield for two games beginning at 12 p.m.
 
GAME 2 – McKENDREE 5, QUINCY 0
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Bearcats recorded eight hits, including two hits each from junior rightfielder Olivia Stansbury (Lafayette, Ind./Purdue Fort Wayne) and freshman pitcher Sydney Bires (Carlinville, Ill./Gillespie) and used a complete game shutout pitching performance from Bires' in the circle.
 
The Bearcats wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the nightcap of the doubleheader as Stansbury drilled the first pitch she saw from Kaelyn Conger for her seventh home run of the season with one out in the bottom of the first inning. Stansbury's homer landed out past the fence in center.
 
McKendree put two runners on base in the bottom of the second thanks to back-to-back singles by junior third baseman Kelsey Sachs (Troy, Mo./Troy Buchanan) and Bires and after a bunt by sophomore leftfielder Natalie Schellert (Wentzville, Mo./St. Dominic) moved those runners to second and third with one out, but Conger would leave the runners stranded as she retired the next two Bearcats in order.
 
The Bearcats lead grew to 2-0 in the bottom of the third as graduate student first baseman Paige Hayden (Independence, Mo./Fort Osage) recorded a two-out double to right and scored when junior second baseman Skyler Davis (Muncie, Ind./UT Martin) drilled a single up the middle to plate Hayden with the game's second run.
 
McKendree would add three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead. The first run came home on an RBI single off the bat of freshman shortstop Heaven Lawrence (Marion, Ill./Marion) and then Stansbury followed with a 2-run double to left center. The double by Stansbury was her eighth of the season.
 
That five-run cushion would be more than enough run support for Bires as she scattered just five hits, while walking two and striking out three to improve her record to 2-2 on the season.
 
Bires would run into some trouble in the top of the sixth as the Hawks loaded the bases with two outs thanks to two singles and walk, but Bires got out of the jam and ended the inning by inducing Casey Brennan to ground out to second.
 
The Hawks would two more runners on base in the seventh with no outs, but Bires would strike out back-to-back hitters and then ended the game by forcing Jayle Jennings to ground out to Lawrence at short.
 
Bailey Mitchell had two of QU's five hits in the nightcap.
 
Conger (2-5) took the loss in the circle as she allowed seven hits and five runs in 3.2 innings, while striking out one and walking one.
 
GAME 1 – QUINCY 7, McKENDREE 2
In Saturday's first game, the Bearcats struggled with runners on base as they stranded nine in the game, including leaving the bases loaded in the fifth. The Bearcats had six hits in the game and were walked four times.
 
The Bearcats opened the scoring in the opener as Lawrence led off the bottom of the first with a double to left center and two batters later, Stansbury added an RBI double to right center to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.
 
Quincy would put the first batters on base in the top of second against sophomore pitcher Ellie Quaethem (Washington, Mo./Washington), but the righthander would leave those runners stranded after retiring the next three Hawks in order.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, Stansbury reached on a two-out double down the left field line and then Hayden walked to put two runners on base against Bailee Highbarger, but Highbarger would get out of the jam by getting Davis to line out to center.
 
The Bearcats appeared poised to break the game open in the bottom of the fifth as Lawrence reached on an error leading off the frame and then freshman centerfielder Austen Vickery (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) walked to put two runners on base and then those two runners advanced on an error on a double steal attempt that put runners on second and third base with no outs. Stansbury would then draw a walk to load the bases. After Hayden struck out for the first out, Davis recorded an RBI single to left that plated Lawrence to give the Bearcats a 2-0 lead. But following Davis' RBI single, Highbarger would strike out Bires looking for the second out and then strikeout Andrews swinging to leave the bases loaded.
 
Quincy would come back in the top of the sixth as they used three hits, including a 3-run homer by Allyson Maynard and a solo home run off the bat of Mitchell to take a 4-2 lead in the game. Mitchell's homer chased Quaethem from the game.
 
Quaethem (6-5) took the loss in the circle for the Bearcats as she tossed 5.1 innings nad allowed six hits and four runs, while walking one and striking out three. She has now recorded 64 strikeouts in 60.2 innings this season.
 
The Hawks added three runs to its lead in the top of the seventh thanks to a RBI doubles by Jennings and Taylor Downen and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Mitchell to give QU a 7-2 lead.
 
Highbarger would work around a single in the bottom of the seventh by Stansbury to pick up the complete game win and improve to 1-4 on the season. Highbarger allowed six hits and two runs (one earned), while walking four and striking out eight.
 
Stansbury had three of McKendree's six hits as she was 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles.
 
Downen, Maynard and Mitchell each had two hits for the Hawks as they had nine in the game.