Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Kansas City, Mo.- The UW-Parkside Softball team improved to 2-2 in GLVC with a hard-fought two-game sweep over Rockhurst University on a snowy field in Kansas City. The Rangers took game one of the doubleheader 8-3 before capturing the finale 7-6. The Rangers are now 6-12 overall. Rockhurst falls to 3-7 in the GLVC and 8-16 overall.
Parkside pounded out 14 hits in the opener, nine of which came from the top three spots in the lineup. Christine Holthus led the way in game one with three hits and three RBI. Krista Kelly had two hits and three RBI while Colleen Cummings, Kirsten Luevano, and Meg McCormick all recorded two hits as well.
The Rangers broke through in the third inning as Holthus drove in Ashley Sullivan with a one out single. With two outs, Kelly launched a three-run blast to left field and gave Parkside a 4-0 lead.
They would all but put the game away in the fourth as they added three more runs. Lexi Sotiros, who reached on an infield single eventually came around to score on a wild pitch. Holthus followed that with a two run homer, driving in Cummings who had also singled, and pushed the lead to 7-0.
Rockhurst was able to get three runs in the fifth against starter Jill Vondrak but would get no closer the rest of the way. McCormick added an insurance run in the seventh to account for the final run in the 8-3 win.
Vondrak improved to 5-5 on the year; allowing three runs on just six hits while striking out four.
Game two turned out to be a back-and-forth affair with most of the fireworks coming in the late innings. Eight of the game's 13 runs were scored in the final two innings as teh Rangers had to hold off a late charge by the Hawks.
Parkside took a 2-0 lead scoring a single run in both the second and third. A Diana Gordan single knocked in the first run while Kelly added number two with a single an inning later.
Rockhurst got three runs off starter Kristin Kleinmeyer capped by a Debbie Lewis two-run single in the fourth. The game remained 3-2 until things got wild in the sixth.
An error, single, and walk loaded the bases for the Rangers in the sixth with two away. That's when Rockhurst starter Kayla Hoyer uncorked a wild pitch, allowing pinch runner Natalie Shank to score the tying run and even the game at three. Cummings the laced an RBI-single through the left side to make it 4-3.
Rockhurst tied things back up in the bottom half. Two reached against reliever Haley Schneider causing Coach Laura Fillipp to summon Vondrak from the bullpen. The Hawks then tied the game on a fielder's choice but the go-ahead run was cut down at the plate leaving the score knotted at four.
The Rangers then muscled up in the seventh to take the lead back. Holthus led off with a triple and immediately scored on a Luevano base hit. Kelly followed that with a two-run home run to left and gave Parkside a seemingly comfortable 7-4 cushion.
Rockhurst would not go away though as Vondrak loaded the bases with two outs. Natalie Johnson cut the lead to one with a two-run double before Vondrak struck out Sadie Applegate to end the game.
Vondrak pitched the final 1 2/3 innings to earn a win on both halves of the doubleheader. Nicki Ekstrom led the way offensively with three hits and two runs scored. Kelly completed a big day with two more hits and three RBI ... giving her four hits and six RBI on the day.
The Rangers will stay in Kansas City to finish their trip Monday against Division I opponent UMKC. Game one is set to begin at 11:00 a.m.
