UAH 1     UAH2     UNA1     UNA 2

The Ranger softball team has been sequestered indoors throughout the pre-season, as always. And, in its first competition, the team sat on a bus for 14 hours and stepped off only to play...the No. 1 team in the nation.

On paper, it didn't look good. In reality, it looked great.

UW-Parkside battled to the end and lost a tight extra-inning game (8) in the opener, 4-3, before dismantling Alabama-Huntsville, 9-1 in the nightcap.

The twin-bill was played as part of a tournament hosted by North Alabama Saturday.

In the opener, the Rangers stranded two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth inning as the game ended. Kallie Walczak was the tough-luck losing pitcher. She worked all eight innings, giving up just two earned runs. She struck out six without walking a batter.

In Game 2, the Rangers broke free from a 1-1 tie by laying a five-spot on the Chargers in the fourth inning. The team tacked on three insurance runs in the seventh.

Krista Kelly was drove in four for the winners.

Jessica Bryant was the winning pitcher.

The next day, Sunday, the Rangers were a rude guest when they beat host North Alabama in a doubleheader, 6-3 and 5-2.

Jill Vondrak was the winning pitcher in the opener. She worked five innings, giving up three earned runs. Walczak came on in relief, hurling a pair of scoreless innings.

Amy Horn and Nicki Ekstrom had two knocks each in the contest.

In the final game of the trip, Lanaya Gutowski was the triumphant pitcher. She yielded just one earned run in four innings. Samantha Homa made her collegiate debut with a three-inning save.

Christine Holthus logged the hat trick in hits for the Rangers, who start the season with a 3-1 record.