Bolivar, Mo. – Due to the Bentonville tournament getting canceled this weekend, the Bearcats scheduled four games with Wayne State College. Two of the games were played Thursday, and two more will be played Saturday. On Thursday, the teams split, with SBU taking the first game 5-3, and Wayne State taking game two 8-5. The split moves SBU to 1-8 (0-0 MIAA) on the year.
 
Game One
The Wildcats scored a run in the first inning, but wouldn't score again until the seventh. The Bearcats tied things up in the bottom of the second. Sam Moran and Morgan McMullin singled with no outs to get things going. Emily Hall reached on an error to load the bases, then Miranda Aguilar also reached on an error, scoring Sam Moran.
 
The Wildcats had a runner in scoring position in the third, but Emily Hall threw her out trying to steal third. SBU picked up another run in the third, coming from a two out Morgan McMullin single to drive in Lauren Strobel. In the fifth, Megan Schellert singled to lead things off, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Paige St. Pierre moved Schellert over on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs in the inning, Sam Moran doubled to left center, scoring Schellert to give SBU a 3-1 lead.
 
Kori Hillenburg smashed a two run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to push the Bearcat lead to 5-1. The Wildcats was able to generate some offense in the 7^th inning, scoring two more runs, but the Bearcats held them off, winning 5-3.
 
Kaylee Schmidli picked up the win, going 6.2 innings, giving up just 3 runs on 6 hits. Sam Moran went 2-2 with an RBI, and Morgan McMullin also picked up two hits, going 2-3 with an RBI as well.
 
Game Two
The game was quiet the first couple innings, with the first score coming from the visitors in the 3^rd inning. They were able to plate 2 runs, taking a 2-0 lead. Again, the game was quiet, both teams playing strong defense.
 
In the bottom of the 5^th, the Bearcats made a comeback to take the lead. Megan Schellert singled with two outs, scoring Yezzania Gonzalez and Nicole Horstman to tie things up at 2 a piece. Paige St. Pierre and Lauren Strobel singled in back to back at bats, scoring another for SBU and giving them a 3-2 lead.
 
In the following inning, Wayne State regained the lead, scoring 2, regain the lead 4-3. Again, the Bearcats wouldn't back down. With one out in the bottom of the 6^th, Kori Hillenburg drove in two with a double to right center. The Bearcats led 5-4 going into the 7^th. Wayne State was able to score 4 in that half inning, taking an 8-5 lead. SBU was able to get runners at first and third in the bottom half of the 7^th, but they were unable to score, falling 8-5.
 
Megan Schellert and Lauren Strobel both went 2-4 in the game. Kori Hillenburg also had a hit and two RBIs.
 
The Bearcats play Wayne State again on Saturday, February 16 with a double header starting at 11 AM.