EVANSVILLE, Ind. - McKendree University softball went 5-1 this past weekend at the Independence Bank Blue Ridge Battle in Evansville, Ind. The Bearcats stand at 9-3 on the season as they prepare to host Wisconsin-Parkside in their home opener this weekend.
MCKENDREE 2, NORTHWOOD 1
McKendree opened the tournament weekend with a 2-1 victory over Northwood, who came into the game with a 5-1 record. Junior pitcher Ellie Quaethem pitched a complete game for the Bearcats, allowing six hits and collecting five strikeouts. The win marked Quaethem's fourth of the year.
As a team, McKendree recorded nine hits in the win as seniors Olivia Stansbury and Skyler Davis tallied two hits each. Junior Reagan Cheely and freshman Mollie Vetter drove in one run apiece.
MCKENDREE 9, DAVIS & ELKINS 4
The Bearcats picked up their second win of the weekend and sixth of the season against a 1-7 Davis & Elkins team. Sophomore pitcher Sydney Bires opened the game pitching four innings for McKendree, and junior pitcher Sophia Koesterer finished the last two innings, grabbing her second win of the year.
Freshman infielder Lauren Harris was 3-3 at the plate and scored one run for the Bearcats while Cheely was 4-2 with two runs scored and junior outfielder Jordan Sapp also scored two runs with two hits including a triple. Junior outfielder Taylor Witges batted in two RBI and posted a double for the Bearcats in the win.
MCKENDREE 3, TREVECCA NAZARENE 0
Against Trevecca Nazarene, the Bearcats posted their third shutout thus far as Quaethem earned her fifth win of the season. Quaethem allowed just three hits and tallied 11 strikeouts, pitching the full seven innings.
Four Bearcats recorded a hit in the victory, including Witges, Harris, Stansbury, and Vetter. Stansbury cranked a triple and accounted for two RBI while Harris drove in the third run on a double for McKendree.
MCKENDREE 10, CEDARVILLE 8
McKendree pulled off a 10-8 win over Cedarville, defeating the Yellow Jackets for the second time. The Bearcats posted an 18-0 victory against Cedarville in their first game of the season at the Music City Invitational. Koesterer pitched three innings, allowing four hits and delivering two strikeouts. Bires was the winning pitcher for McKendree, allowing seven hits and snagging four strikeouts to improve her record to 1-1 on the year.
At the plate, Harris and Davis each posted two hits and two RBI in addition to two RBI from Cheely. Stansbury grabbed two more hits, including a double, and batted in a run. Sapp and Vetter also drove in one run apiece in the victory.
MCKENDREE 10, DAVENPORT 3
The Bearcats gained their largest win of the tournament over Davenport, defeating the Panthers 10-3. Quaethem got her sixth win, throwing seven innings, allowing seven hits, and striking out eight batters.
Sophomore infielder Heaven Lawrence tallied her fifth stolen base of the weekend against Davenport in addition to recording three hits including a triple and scoring three runs for McKendree. Harris, Stansbury, and Witges each posted 2 RBI as Witges knocked her second double of the tournament. McKendree swung for 11 total hits against Davenport.
KENTUCKY WESLEYAN 5, MCKENDREE 4
Kentucky Wesleyan snapped the eight-game winning streak of the Bearcats, edging out McKendree with a score of 5-4. The Bearcats rallied in the seventh inning, putting up two runs but coming up just short of Kentucky Wesleyan's lead. Bires pitched two innings for McKendree, allowing seven hits and delivering two strikeouts, and Koesterer pitched four innings with three hits allowed and two strikeouts.
Harris went 3-4 at the plate with a double and four RBI on the day. Sapp, Cheely, and freshman Kinsey Vergason all registered one hit in addition to Harris's hits.
UP NEXT
McKendree plays its first games of the spring at Bearcat Field on Friday, March 3. The Bearcats will play a double-header against Wisconsin-Parkside starting at 12 p.m.
