Lebanon, IL - The McKendree University Softball team has been off to a hot start. The Bearcats sit at a 6-2 overall record with a Top 10 win over then-#8 West Texas A&M, as well as three of their six wins being by run rule. All that and more has generated national recognition for coach Heather Tarter's squad, as McKendree was announced as the #25 team in the nation on Tuesday afternoon in the national poll put together by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and GoRout. 

The Bearcats went 3-1 at the Branson Leadoff Classic, outscoring opponents 19-10. They then went down to Chattanooga for that tournament, also going 3-1 and outscoring opponents 29-11. At Chattanooga, in what's been the most notable result thus far, McKendree had the aforementioned 5-3 winner over #8 West Texas A&M. 

McKendree has been stout at the plate, tallying 10 or more hits in four of their eight games, and hitting home runs in four games as well. It's been a run of plate discipline as well, as the Bearcats have drawn at least one walk in all but one game. 

In the circle, McKendree has a 2.69 staff ERA, a 1.17 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), and struck out 64 batters. All the while, the Bearcats have a .213 batting average against.