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Box Score 2 ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE 1] [BOX SCORE 2] The Missouri Baptist softball team split a doubleheader with McKendree University Wednesday afternoon, taking game one 7-3 before falling in game two 10-5.
Missouri Baptist (2-4) used a six-run second inning to take down the Bearcats in the opener. Three consecutive hits from Rachel Garcia, Payton Anderson and Amanda Williams helped the Spartans take control early on. After the first run scored on an error, Garcia singled home two runs, Anderson doubled home two more and the final run of the inning scored after a single from Williams.
McKendree responded with two more in the bottom half, but it wouldn't be enough. Andrea Chessor (2-1) got the start for MBU and picked up the win after only allowing one earned run in seven strong innings. She went 2-4 at the dish as well.
Brooke Gajewski homered in the third inning to make it a 6-3 game and Anderson delivered MBU's seventh run in the sixth inning when she hit a sacrifice fly to score Chloe Jennings.
McKendree scored eight runs combined in the second and third innings of game two to take control and defeat MBU 10-5. MBU did however manage a run in each of the first three innings.
Anderson gave the Spartans a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI groundout and Jennings doubled the lead with an RBI groundout in the second inning to plate Pamela Diaz.
However, the two-run lead disappeared in the bottom half of the second. McKendree got on the board after an MBU error and took the lead later on when Tylin Stephens doubled with one out to score two runs.
Anderson tied the game when she homered in the following inning, but the Bearcats broke the game open with a five-run third. They scored five times on five hits to take an 8-3 lead behind a grand slam from Erica Schuelke.
Garcia also homered in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to 10-5, but the MBU rally fell short. Diaz went 2-2 at the plate in game two, while Anderson and Diaz both picked up two RBI's. Cierra Liddick took the loss after allowing eight earned runs in six innings.
The Spartans will next prepare for a meeting with Evangel University on Saturday, March 5th. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1:00 pm.
