LEBANON, Ill. - No.19 McKendree University softball (12-5) went 4-2 over a three-doubleheader weekend, sweeping Kentucky Wesleyan while splitting against both Thomas More and Northwood. The Bearcats finally got to their home field this past weekend, Bearcat Field, and went 3-1 in true home games against KWC and Northwood while splitting against Thomas More in a neutral site doubleheader in Evansville. McKendree opens up Great Lakes Valley Conference play in its next weekend with William Jewell and Truman State visiting Lebanon and Bearcat Field on March 8 and 9.

Game 1 vs. Northwood | L, 7-4
The Bearcats looked to start off the weekend strong but fell into a deficit early against the Timberwolves. McKendree did not fret at the deficit, coming back for the lead in the third and fourth innings. On a play with junior shortstop Lauren Harris reaching on an error, junior infielder Ali Grenzebach reached home which was followed by Harris scoring on a sac fly by junior utility Ellie Vetter. The fourth inning saw junior pitcher Sami Huck raching base and scoring junior outfielder Laynee Tapp, which tied the game. Freshman infielder Paisley Twait then drew a walk, pushing home Huck, putting McKendree in the lead at 4-3. 

Northwood battled back in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead, which also took a game. 

Game 2 vs. Northwood | W, 3-2
The second game of the doubleheader against Northwood saw McKendree jump ahead early with Vetter knocking a double to score senior infielder Sarah Roth for a 1-0 advantage. The fourth inning then had Vetter batting in a run with a single to score freshman catcher Morgan Spodarek for the 2-0 lead. 

NU tied the game in the sixth but the Bearcats got the lead and took the game with Tapp dropping a single up the middle to score the winning run behind senior outfielder Heaven Lawrence. 

Vetter tallied the win with a six-inning performance while freshman pitcher Josie Wettig earned the save.

Game 1 vs. Kentucky Wesleyan | W, 9-1
The Saturday slate had the Bearcats light their bats on fire with a 12 hit contest in the first game, scoring nine. McKendree's first inning featured four runs as Spodarek scored Tapp on a single, Harris' single pushed Spodarek through, Lawrence reached base and got Harris home, and then Twait signled to score Grenzebach. McKendree put up another run in the fourth for a 5-0 lead as Huck doubled to score Tapp.

KWC added on run in the fifth but the Bearcats kept on their offense as Grenzebach singled to push Harris through which was followed by a Vetter double and a fielder's choice for Tapp. On Vetter's double, Lawrence and Grenzebach both scored while Twait reached home on the fielder's choice. 

McKendree held its eight-run advantage for the win. Vetter got the win in the circle to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Game 2 vs. Kentucky Wesleyan | W, 4-1
The second game of the Saturday slate had the Bearcats get down one run in the first but McKendree jumped back into lead quickly. In the third, Harris landed a double to score Huck and Tapp for the 2-1 lead over the Panthers. Vetter then singled in the fifth to add another run as Spodarek reached home. Twait doubled to extend the lead further with Vetter scoring for the three-run advantage.

Senior pithcer Paige McAllister earned the win with a compelte game in the circle. 

Game 1 vs. Thomas More | L ,6-5
McKendree looked to cap-off the weekend with another sweep as it played on neutral ground against Thomas More in Evansville. The Bearcats found a lead early with a 4-0 advantage by the fourth inning. Harris and Spodarek each singled to add runs in the third inning while Lawrence and Huck both doubled to add two more runs to the lead. TMU rattled off five runs to go into the lead at 5-4. McKendree tied the contest at 5-5 as Grenzebach doubles to score Tapp. 

TMU found a run in the seventh to take the game.

Game 2 vs. Thomas More | W, 6-0
The weekend was ended with the latter contest against the Saints, where the Bearcats shut down TMU in full. McKendree went up 2-0 in the first inning as Spodarek reach on a fielder's choice, scoring Huck. Roth then sent a sac fly to score Grenzebach for the two-run advantage. Lawrence singled in the fourth inning to add on to the lead with Roth rounding home. 

The seventh inning led to the Bearcats adding three more runs, first with Huck bunting for a single to score Tapp after a flurry of a play. Huck then reached home on a wild pitch before Spodarek added a sac fly to push Harris home. 

The Bearcats held on for the 6-0 shutout with Huck earning the victory with 11 strikeouts.