Liberty, MO - The 21st-ranked McKendree University Softball team completed its opening GLVC weekend on Sunday with another doubleheader sweep, defeating the William Jewell Cardinals 8-0 in six innings before rallying for a 9-8 win in the second game at Cardinal Field. The Bearcats (22-5, 4-0 GLVC) combined timely extra-base hits (22 total hits across the two games) with immense power (four homers in the twinbill), while their pitching staff limited William Jewell (9-17, 0-4 GLVC) to 11 hits overall.

GAME 1 | #21 McKENDREE 8, WILLIAM JEWELL 0 (6 INN.)
McKendree established control early with a five-run second inning and never allowed William Jewell to build momentum, finishing with nine hits in the six-inning shutout. Sami Huck handled the entire game in the circle, allowing two hits across six innings while striking out nine. 

The Bearcats opened the scoring in the second inning with a stretch of four hits. Trista Moore began the rally with a walk and Laynee Tapp followed with another free pass before Ali Grenzebach lined a single to center to load the bases. Addie Clark then singled to drive in the first run. Paisley Twait followed with another RBI single before Molly Bartz delivered the biggest hit of the inning, a double to left-center that cleared the bases and extended the lead to 5-0. 

McKendree added two more runs in the fifth. Lauren Harris reached with a walk and advanced before Jasmine Myers drove a two-run home run to left-center field, pushing the margin to seven runs. 

The final run came in the sixth. Clark doubled to left field and later scored when Twait singled and advanced on a throwing error by the catcher during the play, closing the scoring at 8-0. 

Huck's outing kept William Jewell from mounting any threat. She struck out multiple batters in four different innings and allowed only two baserunners to advance beyond first base during the game.

Clark finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, Bartz drove in three runs with her second-inning double, and Myers added the two-run homer as McKendree built its lead through extended innings at the plate. 

GAME 2 | #21 McKENDREE 9, WILLIAM JEWELL 8
The second game featured multiple momentum swings before McKendree regained the lead late. The Bearcats scored in five different innings and produced 13 hits to secure the one-run victory. 

McKendree opened the scoring immediately in the first inning. Sami Huck reached on an error before Jasmine Myers doubled to bring her home. Moments later Addie Clark lifted a three-run home run to center field, giving the Bearcats a 4-0 advantage. 

William Jewell answered in the third with five runs to take a 5-4 lead, but McKendree responded in the fourth when Lauren Harris hit a solo home run to tie the game.

The teams traded runs again through the middle innings. Clark drove in another run in the fifth to even the score at 6-6, while Harris added another solo home run in the sixth that trimmed the deficit to one at 8-7. 

McKendree delivered the decisive rally in the seventh inning. Ali Grenzebach was hit by a pitch to begin the frame and Molly Bartz followed with a single. Harris then lined a base hit to load the bases before Huck drove in the tying run with a single to right field. Trista Moore followed with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Bartz and gave McKendree the 9-8 lead. 

Huck moved to the circle for the final two innings and retired six of the seven batters she faced while striking out three to close out the game. 

Harris finished 3-for-5 with two home runs and two RBI, Clark added a home run and four RBIs, and Myers collected two hits as McKendree's offense produced multiple extra-base hits during the comeback victory.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
vs. Southwest Baptist Bearcats (12-14, 2-2 GLVC)
Saturday, March 21st - 12:00 & 2:00 PM 
at Bearcat Field - Lebanon, IL
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN) (Game 1)
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN) (Game 2)
Live Stats (Sidearm Sports)