EAST PEORIA, Ill. – No. 3 McKendree and No. 5 Rockhurst advanced to the final day of the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Softball Championship Tournament on Friday from the EastSide Centre.
McKendree remained undefeated after taking down Rockhurst in the first game to secure a spot in the Championship game. No. 1 Indianapolis avoided elimination in game two, besting No. 8 Drury, before falling to Rockhurst in the third and final game of the day.
This is McKendree’s first appearance in the title game since 2021, while the Hawks will appear in the final for the first time in program history.
The Bearcats need just one win to take home the title, while Rockhurst will need to beat McKendree twice to be crowned champions. The first contest will take place at 10 a.m. CT, with the if-necessary game beginning at approximately 12:30 p.m.
No. 3 McKENDREE 7, No. 5 ROCKHURST 2
BOX | RECAPS:
MCK, RU
- MCK jumped out to a quick start with three runs in the opening frame, scoring two on a throwing error and one from Ali Grenzebach’s RBI single.
- MCK built its lead to five in the second inning with an RBI double from Lauren Harris and bases-loaded walk for Jasmine Myers.
- RU cut the deficit to three with one run in the third and fifth frames, but MCK would hang on for the win after scoring two more insurance runs.
- Three Bearcat hitters contributed two hits: Harris, Grenzebach, and Paisley Twait.
- GLVC Co-Pitcher of the Year Sami Huck tossed a two-run, complete game with 10 strikeouts.
No. 1 INDIANAPOLIS 7, No. 8 DRURY 2
BOX | RECAPS:
UINDY,
DU
- UINDY scored early and often in this contest, notching four runs in the second inning and two in the third to build a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
- Cara Cooper went 4-for-4 with three doubles and one RBI to lead the Greyhound offense.
- DU’s Gabrielle Bax reached base in all three plate appearance, contributing two hits, two RBIs, and one walk.
- Caitlin Bunte – the GLVC Co-Pitcher of the Year – was brilliant in relief, allowing just one hit in three innings to earn the save.
No. 5 ROCKHURST 12, No. 1 INDIANAPOLIS 0
BOX | RECAPS: RU,
UINDY
- RU got on the board first with a first-inning RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of Emily Berry.
- The Hawks came up with a four-run frame in the third to push their advantage to five.
- RU put the game out of reach for good in the seventh, hanging a seven on the scoreboard.
- The Hawks accumulated 15 hits and had five players record multiple base knocks, led by Taylor Sedam and Claire Long with three each.
- RU’s Avery Huffman posted her second complete-game shutout of the tournament in the circle to earn her 20th win of the season.
For complete coverage and tournament details, visit the Championship homepage at the link above. All games will be streamed live behind a paywall on
GLVCSN.com, the GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile apps, as well as the GLVCSN OTT platforms on Roku TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.