Lebanon, IL - Families aplenty had flocked to Bearcat Field on Saturday afternoon to see the 17th-ranked McKendree University Softball team battle the Upper Iowa Peacocks on the Bearcats' Senior Day. While the weather at the start of game one wasn't entirely friendly, the skies opened up, and so did McKendree's bats, as the Bearcats (38-12, 19-7 GLVC) combined for three home runs and 26 hits to pick up wins 37 and 38 to sweep the Peacocks (6-42, 1-23 GLVC) become the winningest team by win total in the Heather Tarter Era.
GAME ONE | #17 McKENDREE 12, UPPER IOWA 0 (5 INN.)
With rain having opened up in the early-going, neither team was able to get much going, with Upper Iowa stranding one and the Bearcats stranding one.
Almost on cue with the clearing of the weather, McKendree sprang ahead with a big second inning. Molly Bartz scored Laynee Tapp on a sacrifice fly, then with Sami Huck (single), Trista Moore (error), and Ali Grenzebach (single) all on the bases, Lauren Harris continued her record-breaking run with the 49th home run of her career, a grand slam, to make it a 5-0 lead after two.
Huck would hold the Peacocks to a 1-2-3 third before adding on more in the bottom half. After back-to-back singles from Paisley Twait and Tapp, a Grenzebach groundout scored Twait to make it 6-0. The 'run rule margin' run was at the plate, but a couple of flyouts would extend the game for the time being.
Upper Iowa got close to their first run of the game with consecutive walks to start the fourth, but a strikeout, groundout, and popout snuffed the threat. The Bearcats responded in high-scoring fashion. Three straight singles from Huck, Harris, and Jasmine Myers set up Twait, who launched McKendree's second grand slam of the game to send it to run-rule margin at 10-0. For good measure, after a Grenzebach single, Trista Moore joined the home run barrage with a two-run shot to set what would be the final score at 12-0.
Needing five runs to force more softball, the Peacocks went down without scoring, with a double play between Huck and Myers ending the game two innings early.
GAME TWO | #17 McKENDREE 5, UPPER IOWA 0
The finale of the day would start as a pitchers' duel, with the Bearcats' Ellie Vetter holding up her end of the bargain. Through the top of the third, Vetter was limiting the Peacocks to just one hit.
McKendree would be the first to the board in the third, stringing hits together. Singles from Addie Clark and Sami Huck set up Lauren Harris, who singled to right field, scoring Clark for a 1-0 lead.
After Upper Iowa got their second hit in the fourth, a popout and strikeout kept the shutout intact. Once again, the Bearcats used it as a response inning, with singles from Laynee Tapp and Ali Grenzebach leading to an RBI groundout from Trista Moore for a 2-0 advantage.
Vetter set Upper Iowa down 1-2-3 in the fifth, and it was another response from McKendree. Huck walked and Harris doubled, leaving two in scoring position. Jasmine Myers lined a single to left, scoring both of them and making it 4-0.
It would be another repeat. Peacocks held to a single in the sixth, then the Bearcats scored to answer. Molly Bartz, who'd roped multiple lineouts prior, alleviated the hard-hit outs with a triple down the left field line, and was promptly home via a Clark RBI groundout for a 5-0 lead.
Upper Iowa went down quietly in the seventh, 1-2-3 at that, to give McKendree the five-run winner and a Senior Day sweep.
POSTSEASON ANTICIPATION
While the GLVC Tournament field is set (UIndy, Missouri S&T, McKendree, UMSL, Rockhurst, UIS, Maryville, Drury), seed lines are far from locked in.
The Bearcats can either be the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th seed. After UMSL split with Truman State on Saturday, the Bearcats held on to sole possession of the 3-seed for the time being. However, seed lines could still go either way. Explanations are below.
Path to the 2-seed: McKendree sweeps Quincy AND Missouri S&T gets swept by Southwest Baptist
Path to the 3-seed: McKendree splits with Quincy OR McKendree sweeps Quincy and Missouri S&T wins at least one against SBU OR McKendree gets swept AND UMSL does anything other than sweep William Jewell
Path to the 4-seed: McKendree gets swept by Quincy AND UMSL sweeps William Jewell
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
2026 Regular Season Finale
vs. Quincy Hawks (8-42, 4-22 GLVC)
Sunday, May 3rd - 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM
at Bearcat Field - Lebanon, Illinois
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN) (Game One)
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN) (Game Two)
Live Stats (Sidearm Sports) (Both Games)
