Rolla, Mo. – The UW-Parkside softball team got its offense going but was unable to hold on in game two as Missouri S&T secured the sweep on Sunday afternoon. The Rangers jumped out to leads of 4-0 and 6-3 before the Miners rallied for a 9-6 victory. They claimed game one, 8-1.
 
The Miners, who also swept Lewis on Saturday, improved to 4-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (4-9 overall). The Rangers fell to 0-4 in the league (0-8 overall).
 
Game One (Box Score)
UW-Parkside got on the board first in the opener. After a couple of scoreless innings Kyla Walczak broke the tie with a booming home run over the left field wall. Her second career homer put the Rangers in front 1-0.
 
Parkside threatened again in the fifth when Walczak walked and Colleen Cummings singled with one out. But Missouri S&T starter Taylor Keal retired the next two hitters to get out of the inning.
 
In the bottom half the Miners finally broke through against Lauren Vitiello. They loaded the bases with nobody out on a single, fielder's choice, and hit batter. Rachel Glenn followed by giving them the lead with a two-run single to right-center field. Two straight ground outs also drove in runs making it 4-1 in favor of the Miners.
 
Ashley Nowdomski and Cecie Portillo came up with hits in the sixth but Keal responded with a strikeout to end the frame.
 
S&T put the game away in the sixth with four more runs. Glenn capped the rally with another two-run hit. Parkside was able to load the bases in the seventh but couldn't push a run across.
 
Vitiello absorbed the loss giving up five runs in five innings of work. Cummings finished with two hits to lead the offense.
 
Game Two (Box Score)
The Parkside offense came out swinging in game two building an early lead. Cummings led off the game with a double and immediately moved to third on a single by Lexi Sotiros.
 
After a strikeout, Sotiros stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Vitiello came through with a single to center to give the Rangers the lead. Two batters later it was Bridget Walters who delivered.
 
She launched her first career home run, plating Sotiros and Vitiello, and giving the Rangers a 4-0 lead.
 
Missouri S&T got back in the game in the second scoring three runs against Kelynn Sporer. Lauren Briggs came up with a bases loaded sinlge, clearing the bags with the help of an error, and cutting the Ranger lead to 4-3.
 
Parkside recovered two of those runs in the next inning to get the lead back to three. Jessica Norton singled and moved to second when Vitiello reached because of an error. Kirsten Luevano made the Miners pay with a single through the left side of the infield to score Norton.
 
Walczak cashed in a big two-out run with a hit to right. Her single made it 6-3 Rangers heading to the bottom of the third.
 
Missouri S&T came right back to tie it scoring three in their half of the third. A lead-off home run and consecutive doubles helped even the score and chase Sporer from the game.
 
The Rangers also got into the Miners bullpen but Becca Strope quieted the Parkside bats over the final 4 2/3 innings. She allowed just two base runners and retired the final nine hitters to give her team a chance to finish the comeback.
 
S&T manufactured a run in the fourth and added two more in the sixth to take a 9-6 lead. Elise Kittrell capped the scoring with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the sixth. Stope then got three groundouts in the seventh to end the game.

Kristen Kleinmeyer took the loss in relief of Sporer allowing three runs in 3 1/3 innings. The top seven in the order all had a hit with Walters leading the way with three-RBI.
 
Parkside will be back in action next weekend. They will play GLVC doubleheaders with William Jewell on Saturday and Rockhurst on Sunday. The games are currently scheduled to be played at the Case Softball Complex but pending due to weather and field conditions.