LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree University softball concluded the home portion of its 2022 schedule here Saturday afternoon by splitting a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader against Lindenwood University on Senior Day at Bearcat Field.
 
The Bearcats opened the doubleheader with a 6-1 loss to the Lions, before collecting a 10-5 win in the nightcap that was keyed by a grand slam in the third inning by junior rightfielder Olivia Stansbury (Lafayette, Ind./Purdue Fort Wayne).
 
Following the conclusion of Saturday's doubleheader, the Bearcats honored its six-member senior class in a postgame ceremony. This year's six seniors are This year's seniors are outfielder/infielder Allison Carnell (Jackson, Mo./St. Charles CC), pitcher Makenzie Carter (Anna, Ill./Lindenwood-Belleville), first baseman Paige Hayden (Independence, Mo./Fort Osage), outfielder Sidney Larsen (Des Moines, Iowa/Ellsworth CC), outfielder Taylor Lowry (New Burnside, Ill./Vienna) and third baseman Kelsey Sachs (Troy, Mo./Troy Buchanan).
 
With the doubleheader split, McKendree moves to 19-23 overall and 11-15 in the GLVC, while Lindenwood fell to 33-7 overall and 20-4 in the GLVC. Saturday's split helped move the Bearcats into eighth place in the league standings with one more regular season doubleheader remaining next Sunday at UMSL.
 
GAME 2 – McKENDREE 10, LINDENWOOD 5
In Saturday's nightcap, the Bearcats brought out their bats as they outhit the Lions, 9-8 with four of their nine hits being extra base hits. Junior catcher Morgan Andrews (Creal Springs, Ill./Marion) led the way for the Bearcats with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate with 3 RBI, while Stansbury and Sachs each had two hits in the win.
 
Along with outhitting the Lions, the Bearcats once again got another complete game pitching performance from sophomore Ellie Quaethem (Washington, Mo./Washington). Quaethem, who improved to 13-7 on the season, tossed her 16th complete game of the season as she allowed eight hits and five runs (three earned runs), while striking out four and walking none. Quaethem has now recorded 131 strikeouts and has walked just 21 in 127.2 innings. Quaethem has now walked just three batters in her last seven pitching appearances.
 
Lindenwood got the scoring started in the opening inning as they used three hits and a McKendree error to plate three runs, including two unearned runs to take a 3-0 lead in the game.
 
The Lions' lead would be erased in the bottom of the first inning as the Bearcats used three hits, a wild pitch and a Lindenwood error to plate four runs, including Andrews bringing home two runs on a double off Lindenwood starting pitcher Marina Esparza.
 
McKendree expanded its lead to 9-3 in the bottom of the third inning as freshman centerfielder Austen Vickery (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) brought home the first run after she drew a bases loaded walk and two batters later, Stansbury crushed an Esparza pitch over the fence in right center for a grand slam that cleared the bases. The grand slam was the second this season by the Bearcats as freshman Sydney Bires (Carlinville, Ill./Gillespie) hit a grand slam against Lewis on March 14.
 
The grand slam by Stansbury was her 19th homer of the season and the 46th, 47th, 48th and 49th RBIs of the season, which is eighth best in a single season in school history.
 
Lindenwood used three hits and a sacrifice fly to plate two runs in the fifth inning to cut the Bearcats lead to 9-5.
 
The Bearcats got one of those runs back in the bottom of the fifth as sophomore leftfielder Natalie Schellert (Wentzville, Mo./St. Dominic) led off the frame with a double to left and Andrews followed with an RBI single up the middle to give the Bearcats a 10-5 lead.
 
Whitney Kinser and Amanda Weyh led Lindenwood with two hits each, while Kinser scored two runs and Weyh had two RBI.
 
Esparza (11-6) earned the loss in the circle for the Lions as she tossed 2.2 innings and allowed six hits and nine runs (two earned runs), while walking five and striking out two.
 
Both teams left four runners on base in the game.
 
GAME 1 – LINDENWOOD 6, McKENDREE 1
In Saturday's opening game of the doubleheader, Lindenwood outhit the Bearcats, 9-5 and used a complete game pitching performance from Weyh in the circle to earn the 6-1 win.
 
Entering the game, Weyh had recorded an 0.70 ERA, but she allowed an earned run against the Bearcats to push her ERA to 0.92 on the season with the win. The earned run was just the 15th Weyh has allowed this season. Weyh is now 20-1 on the season and finished with game by scattering five hits, while walking one and striking out nine.
 
The Lions would get on the scoreboard first in the top of the third inning as they used three straight hits, including a 2-run double by Irelynn West and a solo home run by Wendel Whitney off Carter, who got the start in the circle.
 
 McKendree got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as Stansbury broke up Weyh's no-hitter with her double to right center with one out. After junior second baseman Skylar Davis (Muncie, Ind./UT-Martin) flew out to left center for the second out, Hayden would record an RBI single up the middle that scored Stansbury with McKendree's first run.
 
In the sixth, Lindenwood pushed their lead to 4-1 following an RBI single by Lauren Pelton.
 
The Lions' lead grew to 6-1 in the top of the seventh as Whitney drilled a 2-run homer to cap the scoring.
 
Five different Bearcats recorded a hit in the game.
 
Whitney went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and 3 RBI.
 
Carter (1-6) took the loss in the circle for the Bearcats as she tossed 2.2 innings and allowed four hits and three runs, while walking two and striking out one.
 
The Bearcats will close out the 2022 regular season next Sunday (May 1) as they travel to St. Louis, Mo., for a doubleheader against UMSL. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.