April 23, 2008

(SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - April 19) - McKendree University junior pitcher Amy Quirin (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) passed Mindy Jameson in the McKendree University record books Saturday afternoon, winning her 51st career game in a 4-1 win over the University of Saint Francis (Ill.) at the University of Illinois-Springfield tournament. She also became career leader in complete games pitched at McKendree earlier in the week.

McKendree, 22-14 overall, defeated Saint Mary of the Woods College, 1-0, in their first game at the tournament Saturday. The Bearcats return to Springfield, Ill., Sunday to play NAIA No. 11 Rogers State University at 1 p.m., before playing Saint Xavier University at 3 p.m.

With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, senior outfielder Molly Reed (Carrollton, Ill./Carrollton) took advantage of an error by the St. Mary of the Woods leftfielder to score from second base to give McKendree their lone run of game one. Both teams struggled offensively and combined for only six hits, only two by McKendree, in the game. Sophomore Katie Ward (White Hall, Ill./North Greene) improved to 7-3 on the season with six strikeouts and no walks. Reed had both hits in the game for the Bearcats.

In game two, McKendree scored three runs in the top of the first inning, one on a single by junior catcher Angie Maue (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) and two on a double by senior shortstop Courtney Aldridge (Dupo, Ill./Dupo). Neither team scored again until the sixth inning, when Aldridge hit a homerun to left-centerfield to give McKendree a 4-0 lead. St. Francis threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning, drawing a bases loaded walk with only one out to make the score 4-1. Quirin got out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning and ended the game an inning later with two strikeouts and another groundout to get the career milestone victory.

Quirin, now 8-7 overall, struck out six and held the Lady Saints to only four hits in the win and junior outfielder Kayla White (Buncombe, Ill./Vienna) led McKendree at the plate going 3-4, while Aldridge was 2-3 with three RBI and a run scored.