BENTONVILLE, Ark. | Alvy Early Memorial Classic - McKendree University softball (7-1) posted an undefeated weekend down in Arkansas, going 4-0 while capturing wins over Arkansas Tech, Harding, Missouri Southern, and East Central. The 7-1 beginning to the 2025 campaign marks the best start under head coach Heather Tarter and matches the best start of the NCAA Division II era in 2018. McKendree continues its season-opening road trip next weekend at the Branson Bash Classic, taking on Central Missouri to open and close the weekend while battling Harding in between for a pair of games.

Game 1 | vs. Arkansas Tech | W, 3-2
The Bearcats battled to continue their strong start to the season and found a push early to do just that against ATU. Senior infielder Sarah Roth pushed the first two runs home with a single in the first and a sac bunt in the third, giving McKendree a 2-0 advantage. In the fourth, Arkansas Tech knotted the game at 2-2 until the weekend's first rendition of late-game heroics kicked in for the Bearcats. The fifth saw the game-winning run cross the plate after the ball fired off her bat with freshman infielder Morgan Spodarek blasted a solo homer to left center. The Bearcats took the contest on a 3-2 final.

Junior pitcher Sami Huck grabbed the victory in the circle with seven punch outs and no earned runs in a complete game performance.

Game 2 | vs. Harding | W, 4-3
The second bout of the weekend saw the Bearcats take a 2-0 lead once again as Spodarek sent another home run on the day, driving in Huck for the two-run advantage. In the fifth, McKendree added another run to its lead as junior infielder Ali Grenzebach dropped a single into center, scoring junior shortstop Lauren Harris for the 3-0 advantage.

The sixth inning led to Harding tying the game at three runs a piece. McKendree then found its game-winning score in the seventh as a bases loaded scenario pushed the final run home. Grenzebach earned the walk with Harris and Spodarek moving up a base and Huck scoring the game-winner. 

Junior pitcher Ellie Vetter earned her third win of the year, tossing a complete game with four strikeouts. Four Bearcats notched a multi-hit game while Spodarek and Grenzebach both tallied multiple RBIs. 

Game 3 | vs. Missouri Southern | W, 7-6
After a successful first day in Bentonville, McKendree looked to keep it up on the second day in the classic tournament. Against MSSU, McKendree put up six runs in the first three innings for a commanding lead. Senior outfielder Heaven Lawrence tripled to start things off in the second, as she scored on an error in the play, with freshman infielder Paisley Twait reaching home on the hit. 

In the third, the Bearcats added another run on a passed ball with junior outfielder Laynee Tapp scoring. Following the passed ball, Grenzebach sent a three-run shot, scoring Harris and Huck to make it a 6-0 lead for McKendree.

MSSU battled back in the following inning, managing to even the contest a 6-6 in the top of the seventh. The end of game three followed suit with a bases loaded situation, as Harris was hit by a pitch, pushing everyone up and Tapp scoring the game-winning run.

Huck added her third with of the season with seven more strikeouts over 6.2 innings of work. Huck also led her team in hits with a 3-4 performance.

Game 4 | vs. East Central | W, 4-1
McKendree entered the final game of the weekend unbeaten through at the classic tournament and fought to stay that way. McKendree's first inning saw another lead blossom with a two-run shot by Harris with Huck scoring on the play. The lead held for the Bearcats with Roth knocking a single to score Grenzebach for a 3-0 advantage. East Central added one run to cut the McKendree lead down to two runs but in the seventh, Harris added a bow on the weekend with a solo home run to lock up the game at 4-1.

Junior Ellie Vetter secured her fourth win of the campaign with a compelte game plus two strikeouts.