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UIU Box Score

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ROSEMONT, Ill. (Feb. 23, 2014)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside softball team opened the lid on its 2014 campaign inside the Rosemont Dome in suburban Chicago against stiff regional competition over the weekend, dropping four games at the Midwest Regional Tournament.

The Rangers (0-4) opened the season on Saturday, falling 9-1 to Upper Iowa University and 13-6 to Winona State University. UW-Parkside returned to the diamond on Sunday to face a pair of nationally-ranked squads, dropping a 1-0 heart-breaker to 17th-ranked Wayne State University before wrapping up the event by falling 9-0 to fourth-ranked Grand Valley State University.

In the season opener, the Peacocks drew first blood, plating a run in the top of the second inning before adding three more in the third. UW-Parkside got on the board in the bottom of the third with a Lexi Sotiros sacrifice fly to center field scoring Kira Cooper who led off the frame with a base hit.

Upper Iowa added three more runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh for the 9-1 win.

Carly Dundee absorbed the loss in the circle, tossing a complete game and striking out two. UIU's Brooke Redmond earned the win, allowing just three hits and striking out five.

In the nightcap against Winona, the Rangers and Warriors combined for 28 hits. Winona State tallied the opening six runs of the game, scoring four in the first inning and adding two more in the third.

UW-Parkside got on the board in the fourth, pushing across three runs. Colleen Cummings got things started with a two-out single, followed by a Kalli Gosser base hit. Both scored after Diana Gordon belted a two-RBI double to clear the bases. Dundee singled in Gordon before getting throw out trying to extend the single to end the inning.

The Warriors added two more runs in the fourth, extending their advantage to 8-3. Sotiros led off the fifth with a single, later scoring on a Gosser RBI single to cut the deficit to just four runs but Winona State piled on five more runs in the sixth, securing a 13-4 lead.

UW-Parkside pushed across two more runs in the sixth to conclude the scoring. Kristin Kleinmeyer doubled in Cooper before scoring on a Warrior fielding miscue.

Gosser led the Ranger offense, finishing three-for-four at the plate while Sotiros was two-for-four.

Hayley Schneider was tagged with the loss, allowing six earned runs in four innings of action.

On Sunday, the Rangers and 17th-ranked Wayne State were locked in a defensive struggle with the Warriors scored the lone run in the bottom of the seventh to secure the walk-off win.

WSU opened the seventh with Briana Lee reaching base safely on a Ranger error. Lee was replaced by pinch runner Nikki Fulton who was bunted over to second. A base hit advanced Fulton to third before scoring on an Emily Cava groundout to secure the 1-0 victory.

Schneider tossed the first four innings for the Rangers, scattering four hits before giving way to Dundee. Dundee tossed the final 2 2/3 innings and was hit with the loss, allowing three hits and one unearned run.

The Rangers closed the tournament by falling 9-0 to fourth-ranked Grand Valley State. The Lakers scored one run in the first, five in the second and three in the third to secure the mercy-rule win.

Gosser paced the Ranger offense over the course of the weekend, finishing with a .417 batting average.

Parkside returns to the diamond on Saturday, heading down to Evansville, Ind. for the USI Tournament.