East Peoria, IL - There was a nervous energy in the air on Saturday morning at Eastside Centre. The 15th-ranked McKendree University Softball team had made the GLVC Tournament Championship Game for the first time since 2021. In the other dugout, the Rockhurst Hawks were making their first title game appearance ever. One way or another, someone was winning their program's first-ever conference tournament crown. Unfortunately for the Bearcats, it didn't work their way. The Hawks (35-19) held onto an early lead to win 2-1 in the first game before also taking the if necessary game, using four runs in the last two innings to pull away for a 6-3 win. While Rockhurst will take the GLVC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Bearcats still await an at-large bid, as they were seeded second in the latest Midwest Regional Rankings.
GAME ONE | ROCKHURST 2, #15 McKENDREE 1
It was a rude awakening to Championship Saturday, as a single and a two-run home run had put Rockhurst ahead 2-0 just three batters into the game.Â
The Bearcats were drawing walks and hit by pitches, but just couldn't manufacture hits and/or RBI. That was, until the third. After singles from Lauren Harris, Jasmine Myers, and Paisley Twait loaded the bases, a sacrifice fly RBI from Laynee Tapp scored Harris to cut the deficit to 2-1. Alas, a tough-luck double play ended the inning on the basepaths.
From there, though, it was an absolute pitchers' duel between the Bearcats' Sami Huck and Rockhurst's Avery Huffman. After that bottom of the third that set what would ultimately be the final score, Huck and Huffman combined for four separate 1-2-3 innings, leaving runs, and frankly even baserunners, at a premium.
Harris would single in the bottom of the fifth to put the tying run on the bases and the go-ahead run at the plate, but Harris's hit would be the last time a Bearcat reached base safely for the remainder of the game, and Rockhurst forced the if necessary game with a 2-1 victory.Â
GAME TWO | ROCKHURST 6, #15 McKENDREE 3
The Hawks used small ball to be in scoring position early, utilizing a bunt single and a stolen base. An RBI single to center put Rockhurst up 1-0 for another early advantage.
After Sami Huck had worked a six-pitch at-bat, Lauren Harris followed with a first-pitch home run over the right field fence for the 50th home run of her McKendree career, tying the game at one run apiece.Â
The Hawks, however, answered immediately. After Ellie Vetter started the inning perfectly with back-to-back strikeouts, the Hawks found a seam, with a hit by pitch and an RBI single giving them the lead back.Â
At that point, it seemed as if this matchup was going down the 2-1 rabbit hole again. Until it wasn't. After taking just one strike, Molly Bartz struck a home run over the left field fence to tie the game up, now at 2-2 in the fourth.
In the top of the sixth, Sami Huck would be brought in from the bullpen to finish the game off. Consecutive groundouts still had a hit by pitch on the bases, but with two outs. A pinch-hit RBI double pulled Rockhurst back in front.
This time, however, the Hawks would not surrender the lead. McKendree made noise in the bottom of the sixth when Ali Grenzebach's hustle down to first led to a Rockhurst error, but she would be stranded.Â
A single and a walk in the top of the seventh had the Hawks in business, then a two-run double, RBI single, and sacrifice fly RBI had Rockhurst pulling away with only one half-inning of offense to work with for the Bearcats with the top of the order due up.
They nearly pulled it off.
Singles from Sami Huck and Lauren Harris had McKendree feeling good with the game on the line, and especially with a slugger like Jasmine Myers at the dish. After working to a full count, Myers smashed a deep fly ball to right field that should've left the yard, but a timely home run-robbing catch was made by Rockhurst, negating what would've been a 6-5 game and keeping it at 6-2.
Twait would get an RBI groundout to cut it to three, but that would be the last of it for McKendree, as Rockhurst won their first-ever GLVC Tournament Championship.
As mentioned, the Bearcats still have a remarkable resume as the 15th-ranked team in the nation, multiple national award-caliber players, and a (43-14) record. The latest NCAA Midwest Regional Rankings showed a 2nd seed, which would mean hosting postseason games at Bearcat Field if that were to still hold.
The NCAA's Division II Softball Tournament Selection Show takes place Monday, May 11th at 9:00 AM, and that's what the Bearcats must wait for to determine their next step, whether in Lebanon or elsewhere. There will be more content released once that destination is determined.Â
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
2026 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional
Thursday, May 14th - Time TBD
vs./@ Team TBD
Location TBD
Broadcast Information TBD
Live Stats Information TBD
Ticketing Information TBD
