UMSL third baseman McKenzie Lamos had two RBIs in the Tritons’ win over McKendree on Thursday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

GLVC Tournament	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
UMSL (28-25)	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	6	5	0
McKendree (33-21)	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	1	4	8	3

WP: Ashley Borowitz – UMSL (14-14) LP: Ellie Quaethem – McK (20-9)

Nora Nichols
Staff Writer

EAST PEORIA, IL — After giving up a game-tying, two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, the University of Missouri-St. Louis kept its composure and rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth to defeat McKendree University, 6-4 on Thursday, in the opening game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament.

With the win, UMSL improved its season record to 28-25 and advanced to Day 2 of the GLVC Tournament where it will play top-seeded Indianapolis on Friday for the right to advance to the winner’s side of the tournament bracket. The winner of that game would have to win only one more game (played on Saturday) to advance to the championship round of the GLVC Tournament, which will be played on Sunday.

The loser would play in an elimination game on Saturday to keep its season alive.

The Tritons was facing a similar situation on Thursday, when they lost a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, on a two-out, two-run homer by McKendree’s Lauren Harris. UMSL starter Katie Schaake had pitched a dynamite game and was just one strike away from walking away with a win.

But Harris got a hold of a pitch and launched it over the centerfield wall to tie the score at 3 and send the game into extra innings.

Neither team could score in the eighth, but in the ninth, UMSL got its offense going.

Jamie Widule led off with a walk, then came all the way around to score on an error by McKendree pitcher Ellie Quaethem (20-9). UMSL’s Megan Russell attempted a sacrifice bunt to move Widule to second, but Quaethem threw the ball into right field, which allowed Midule to score.

Later in the inning, UMSL leadoff hitter Irene Travis reached on a fielder’s choice, then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. That’s when McKenzie Lamos chopped a groundball that was sure to score Russell, but also brought in Travis, following another poor throw by the McKendree defense.

The Tritons scored three runs and never hit the ball out of the infield once.

McKendree got a run back in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough, as UMSL got the final three outs to win the game and advance in the tournament.

UMSL catcher May Pasqualini had two hits in the game. McKendree’s Harris had three hits and three RBIs. Lamos had two RBIs and Widule scored two runs.

Schaake pitched seven innings and narrowly missed getting the win. But teammate Ashley Borowitz (14-14) tossed the final two innings and only allowed one run and one hit to get the win for the Tritons.

UMSL played Indianapolis, which was ranked No. 8 in the country at the time, in a doubleheader back in March. The Tritons and Greyhounds split a doubleheader in a pair of games at the UMSL Softball Field.

First pitch for Friday’s game is set for 3 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

Logo	Team	Inning	Play Description	UMSL	McK
	UMSL	2nd	Russell, M. flied out to lf, SF, RBI (1-0 B); Widule, J. advanced to third on the throw; Miller, G. scored.	1	0
	UMSL	2nd	Travis, I. doubled to left field, RBI (2-1 BFB); Pasqualini advanced to third; Widule, J. scored.	2	0
	McK	6th	Harris, L. homered to left center, RBI (3-1 FBBB).	2	1
	UMSL	7th	Lamos, M. grounded out to 1b unassisted, RBI (1-2 KBF); Pasqualini scored.	3	1
	McK	7th	Harris, L. homered to center field, 2 RBI (2-0 BB); Cheely, R. scored.	3	3
	UMSL	9th	Russell, M. reached on a throwing error by p, SAC, bunt, advanced to third on the error (0-0); Widule, J. scored on the error, unearned.	4	3
	UMSL	9th	Lamos, M. reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to second on the error, RBI (0-1 K); Travis, I. advanced to third, scored on the error, unearned; Russell, M. scored on a throwing error by 2b, unearned.	6	3
	MCK	9th	Stansbury grounded out to 2b, RBI (2-0 BB); Harris, L. advanced to third; Lawrence, H. scored.	6	4