Drury gets seventh inning rally in game two to split doubleheader at McKendree

LEBANON, Ill.— Drury scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning of game two of a doubleheader at McKendree to win 7-6 and earn a split against the Bearcats on Thursday in Lebanon, Illinois.
 
The Panthers maintained their two-game lead over McKendree for third place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and moved their record to 28-21 and 16-8 in the league. The Bearcats went to 31-20 and 14-10 in the GLVC. 
 
McKendree held the Panthers off the board in game one until the seventh inning when AJ Agers belted her third home run of the season with a solo shot. Ellie Quaethum (19-7) got the win for the Bearcats going seven innings and keeping Drury to just three hits and one run while walking one and striking out four. Kaley Adzick (9-4) took the loss for the Panthers. McKendree scored a run in the first, then added three more in the fourth inning to go up by four runs. 
 
Drury trailed 6-3 and were two outs away from defeat when Lauren Beier tied the contest at 6-6 on a three-run home run. Taylor Hartsell followed Beier’s bomb with a triple, then was driven home on a single by AJ Agers, giving the Panthers their first lead in the game, 7-6.
 
McKendree had the tying run in scoring position and the winning run on base with one out, but reliever Kristina Bettis got a pop-up and a strikeout to end the game.
 
Beier went 2 for 4 in the game with 4 RBIs, and Rylee Kolb was 3 for 4 with a run scored. Bettis (6-6) got the win in relief, while Quetham (19-8) took the loss in relief for the Bearcats.
 
Drury’s game two win was the first time this year they have won a game when trailing after six innings. 
 
Thursday’s doubleheader was originally scheduled for Sunday but moved up on the calendar due to the threat of rain during the weekend.
 
The Panthers end the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader at Missouri-St. Louis at noon in St. Louis.
 
 
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