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. 11, 2014)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside softball squad had its 2014 home opener spoiled at the hands of Rockhurst University as the Great Lakes Valley Conference adversary seized both ends of the doubleheader on Friday afternoon at the Case Complex. The Rangers yielded a six-run fifth inning in a 10-6 loss in game one before getting edged 5-4 in the nightcap.

In the opener, the visiting Hawks (15-21, 10-12 GLVC) pushed across two runs in the top of the second inning before the hosts responded with a four-run outburst in the bottom of the third.

The Rangers (2-22, 2-16 GLVC) loaded the bases in the third with Infield singles from Kira Cooper and Colleen Cummings while Kalli Gosser safely reached base on a fielding error. Alexis Simone was hit by pitch, walking in Cooper. Cummings tied the game at two, scoring after being awarded home on an illegal pitch while Samantha Magruder plated Gosser. A Kirsten Luevano single to left field, tallied the frame's fourth score, giving UW-Parkside the 4-2 edge.

Rockhurst pushed back in front in the top of the fourth, inching across a pair of runs but the Rangers equalized with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, getting RBI singles from Cummings and Simone.

The Hawks seized the lead for good in the fifth, utilizing a two-out rally to plate six runs to stake the 10-6 edge and conclude the scoring.

Cooper and Cummings led the Rangers with two hits apiece while Simone drove in two runs.

Carly Dundee absorbed the loss, allowing three earned runs and striking out two in 4 2/3 innings of action. Hayley Schneider handled the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and no earned runs. RU's Bridgette Sappington tallied the win, allowing three earned in five innings of effort while Demi Plathe tallied the save with two innings of relief work, allowing just one hit.

Rockhurst enjoyed a 4-0 advantage after 2 1/2 innings of play in game two, tallying single runs in the second and third innings while plating two in the top of the fourth. UW-Parkside got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with Luevano belting a solo home run while a Kristin Kleinmeyer single up the middle brought in Diana Gordon.

Parkside crawled within a run in the sixth with Cooper drawing a bases loaded walk to score Lexi Sotiros, who reached base by legging out an infield single.

A wild pitch allowed the Hawks to increase the buffer to two runs in the seventh, posting a 6-4 edge. UW-Parkside mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh with Luevano hitting a double before scoring on a Sotiros single but RU pitcher Sappington ended the rally prematurely, notching a strikeout to end the game.

The Rangers outhit Rockhurst in game two, owning a 9-8 edge with Sotiros leading the way with a three-for-four effort.

Kleinmeyer was tagged with the defeat in the circle, striking out two and allowing three earned in 3 1/3 innings or work. Rockhurst's Plathe claimed the win, picthing 3 2/3 innings and allowing one earned run while Sappington claimed the save with four strikeouts over the final 3 1/3 innings.

The Rangers return to the diamond on Saturday, taking on William Jewell College at 12 p.m. for the sixth-annual Pink Game.