EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team opened play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Softball Tournament with a 6-4 win in nine innings against McKendree on Thursday at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.

The Tritons improve to 28-25 while the Bearcats drop to 33-21.

UMSL, seeded fourth, struck first with two runs on three hits in the top of the second. Gwyn Miller led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to third on Jamie Widule's one out double down the right field line. Megan Russell drove Miller in with a sacrifice fly to left and Widule took third on the throw home. With two out, a miscommunication between McKendree's left fielder and short stop allowed a pop up hit by Irene Travis to fall in for a double scoring Widule.

The Bearcats, seeded fifth, got a run back in the sixth as Lauren Harris led off the inning with a solo home run to left center. MCK had the tying and go-ahead runs on base with two out in the frame but Katie Schaake retired Mollie Vetter on a foul out to first to end the inning.

The Tritons got that run back in the seventh as May Pasqualini led off the inning with a double to center, went to third on a sacrifice and scored on McKenzie Lamos' ground out to first to make it 3-1.

The Bearcats, down to their final out, got a two-out walk and tied the game on Harris' two-run home run to center to force extra innings.

UMSL retook the lead in the ninth. Widule led off the inning with a walk and scored when Russell's sacrifice bunt was thrown down the right field line by the pitcher. With one out, Travis reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. Lamos hit a ground ball to second but the second baseman's throw to the plate was high allowing Russell and Travis to score to make it 6-3.

McKendree got a leadoff walk and one out double in its half of the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate. Olivia Stansbury grounded out to second for the second out of the inning but a run scored on the play. Ashley Borowitz retired Taylor Witges on a pop up to short to end the game.

The Tritons were held to five hits in the contest and were led by Pasqualini with two while Travis, Miller and Widule had one hit apiece. Borowitz picked up the win in the circle pitching the final two innings giving up a run on a hit with a strikeout to even her record at 14-14.

UMSL will take on the winner between top seeded UIndy and eighth seeded Maryville at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.