SOMERS, Wis. -- Sophomore
Cassie Walek had three hits and drove in a run, but Brooke Gajewski hit two home runs and Kyleee Silliman pitched a three-hit shutout leading McKendree to a doubleheader sweep of Wisconsin-Parkside on Sunday at the Case Softball Complex.
McKendree won game one 7-5 in nine innings and then completed the sweep with an 8-0 victory in game two.
Wisconsin-Parkside, which dropped to 13-21 overall and 8-8 in the GLVC, overcame an early deficit in game one and appeared on its way to a win before the Bearcats rallied to win the contest.
McKendree, which improved to 23-16 overall and 10-8 in conference play, scored four times in the top of the second inning to jump out to an early lead.
The Rangers would respond by scoring three times in the bottom of the third inning to get right back into the game.
Carly Dundee and
Rachel Seefeldt drew back-to-back walks to open the inning and advanced a base when
Raegan Fingerman dropped down a sacrifice bunt. Walek singled to left to score Dundee with the Rangers first run of the game and cut the deficit to 4-1.
The Rangers loaded the bases when
Megan Aliverti walked and Wisconsin-Parkside climbed to within 4-3 when
Danielle Crockett reached on a fielding error which allowed Seefeldt and Walek to score.
Wisconsin-Parkside took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Kellie Fenza reached on a bunt single to begin the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Dundee followed with a double to right that scored Fenza and tied the game at 4-4.
With two outs, Fingerman delivered a clutch double to right that brought home Dundee and put the Rangers in front 5-4.
McKendree rallied to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning when Paige Fleeman doubled to center to score Hanna Branch and knot the game at 5-5.
The Rangers had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, Dundee reached on a throwing error and Seefeldt followed with a double, but a ground out and a pop out ended the Rangers scoring threat.
McKendree then plated two runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 7-5 lead. Wisconsin-Parkside put two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Maci Ingram worked out of the jam to earn the victory.
Walek and Seefeldt each had two hits in game one for Wisconsin-Parkside, while Fenza, Dundee, Fingerman,
Morgan Sikon, Crockett and
Madison Manders each had a base hit.
Silliman led the Bearcats to an 8-0 win in the second game by holding the Rangers to three hits and striking out three batters.
Seefeldt, Walek and
Sara Markelonis each picked up base hits for Wisconsin-Parkside in game two.
The Rangers return to action on April 14 and April 15 when it travels to Southern Indiana and Bellarmine for a pair of GLVC doubleheaders.
