FORT WAYNE, Ind. – On Friday afternoon the University of Saint Francis Cougars (25-20; 17-16 Crossroads) played host to the Grace College Lancers (13-32; 10-24 Crossroads) in a doubleheader at Westendorf Field for the team's final home doubleheader of the season and split the two games winning the opener 8-3 before dropping the finale 3-2.

Junior pitcher Mackenzie Rust took the mound to start the opener for the Cougars and set the tone from the start as she held the Lancers scoreless through the first couple innings. Then in the bottom of the first, the Cougars took a 1-0 lead on an RBI-single by catcher Tori Miller.

In the bottom of the second, they added to their lead. Left fielder Aubrey Dunnuck and second baseman Anna Smith led off the frame with walks and then hits by Taylor Horsley and Tori Miller plated four more runs for Saint Francis as they now led 5-0.

The Lancers chipped away at the deficit to score once in the third and fifth, but Rust snuffed out any rallies they had in them. A couple more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth by the Cougars solidified the win as Rust went out for the seventh and finished off the Lancers for the complete-game victory.

Rust now improves to 13-8 on the season as she allowed just three runs on 10 hits in seven innings pitched.

In the finale, freshman Mia Werner started on the mound for the Cougars and did surrender a first-inning run but settled in to hold the Lancers in check through the next several innings.

After allowing an RBI-double in the top of the fourth, Werner's day was finished after four innings despite allowing just those two runs. Sophomore Erika Turpin came in to relieve in the fifth and managed her way out of a bases-loaded nobody out jam.

But offensively, the Cougars struggled with the bats as they were held to just three hits and no runs through the first five innings.

After a third run crossed the plate in the top of the sixth, the Cougars knew that time was running out. Then in the bottom of the frame designated hitter Regan Peppler smacked a two-run home run with one out to bring the Cougars to within a run, but the tying run reached and was caught stealing second as the game entered the seventh with the Cougars still trailing 3-2.

The Lancers had the last laugh as the Cougars put the winning runs on base, but a long fly out to center field ended the game as they had to settle for a split.

The Cougars will now travel to Marion, Indiana Saturday afternoon to wrap up the regular season in a doubleheader against the No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats (43-8; 28-5 Crossroads) beginning at 1:00 pm.