Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

SOMERS, Wis. (Apr. 6, 2013)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside softball squad's home opener did not go as planned on Saturday afternoon, dropping a pair of games to Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division rival Bellarmine University on a cold and windy day at the Case Softball Complex. The Rangers fell 3-0 in the opener before dropping an 11-8 decision in a slugfest in the nightcap.

In the opener, the two squads were deadlocked in a scoreless affair until the top of the sixth inning. Bellarmine's Abby Lenhart led off the frame by drawing a walk before coming home on a Madi Ratliff home run blast for the 2-0 lead. The Knights (20-16, 12-7 GLVC) tacked on an insurance run in the seventh courtesy of a Ranger error to hold on for the 3-0 victory.

Two of UW-Parkside's (6-19, 3-10 GLVC) five hits came off the bat of Kelynn Sporer, as the sophomore finished the game two-for-three at the plate.

Katie Neubauer suffered the loss in the circle, tossing all even innings and striking out one while yielding just two earned runs. Alicia Miller picked up the complete game shutout for Bellarmine, striking out five while allowing five hits.

The game one pitchers' duel gave way to a slugfest in game two as the Rangers and Knights combined to blast eight home runs in the nightcap.

BU opened the scoring in game two, plating a pair of unearned runs in the third inning. UW-Parkside cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third with a Colleen Cummings groundout brining in Kira Cooper who opened the inning by reaching base on a Bellarmine throwing error.

The longball provided five of the Knights' six runs in the fourth inning with Ratliff, Kelsey Hicks and Tabby Shewmaker all going yard over the course of the inning. Alexis Simone countered with a home run of her own in the bottom of the fourth, blasting a solo shot over the right center field fence to cut the gap to 8-2.

Bellarmine plated two more runs in the sixth before Simone struck again in the bottom of the frame, belting a two run shot to score Sporer, who led off the inning by reaching base on a walk. BU tacked on a single run in the top of the seventh before the Rangers began a late run.

Colleen Cummings opened the seventh with a base hit, later scoring on a Sporer home run with two outs. Simone followed it up with a single up the middle before scoring after Katie Neubauer crushed a home run over the left field fence, pulling the hosts to within three at 11-8. A Bellarmine pitching change brought in Lindsey Wiles who induced a line out to end the rally and the contest, giving the Knights the doubleheader sweep.

Simone finished three-for-four at the plate with three RBIs, belting two home runs in the game while Ashley Nowdomski was two-for-three.

Kristin Kleinmeyer was tagged with the loss, allowing four earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of action while Ally Foster tallied the win, allowing one earned run and striking out nine in 4 1/3 innings of work.

The Rangers return to the diamond on Sunday, welcoming McKendree University to the Case Softball Complex for a GLVC twinbill beginning at 12 p.m.