The Parkside softball team couldn't have asked for a better way to open their 2020 season, as the team earned a pair of wins on Opening Day to start the season 2-0 at the Rosemont Dome on Thursday. The Rangers got a stellar pitching performance from senior Alyssa McClelland in the team's season opener, as she led the Rangers to a 1-0 win over McKendree. In game two, Parkside defeated Hillsdale 5-3 and scored four runs in the final three innings. 
 
GAME 1: Parkside 1, McKendree 0
Parkside got on the scoreboard early, using a Megan Aliverti RBI single to score Cassie Walek in the top of the first. Walek was hit by a pitch to open the game, stole second and came around to score the Rangers first run of the 2020 season.
 
Alyssa McClelland had a monster performance to open her senior campaign, finishing with a complete-game shutout allowing just three hits and one walk with six strikeouts. She had a no-hitter going through 3.1 innings
 
Aliverti finished 1-for-2 with an RBI while senior Allison Hausl, junior Morgan Moore and freshman Dani Evans all tallied hits in the win. Evans finished with a pair of stolen bases.
 
GAME 2: Parkside 5, Hillsdale 3
Senior Allison Hausl got the starting nod in game two, and went on to earn the win after pitching 5.1 innings allowing two earned runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Sophomore Kiley Akey pitched the final 1.2 innings scoreless to pick up her first career save. 

Aliverti, who had the Rangers' lone RBI in game one, put Parkside up 1-0 in the top of the third thanks to an RBI double that scored Walek. Senior Adrien Hall added on to the Rangers' lead with an RBI triple in the top of the fifth, making it 2-0 Parkside. The Chargers got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, but the Rangers responded with two runs of their own in the top of the sixth where Evans and freshman Brenna Konstanty both scored on an error. Hillsdale got back into the game in the bottom of sixth, scoring two runs on a pair of RBI singles to make it 4-3 Parkside. Junior Alyssa Laxson recorded her first career RBI in the top of the seventh on an RBI triple that plated junior Maegan Brookins. 

Walek finished with two runs, two RBI, two stolen bases and two walks while Hall and Aliverti each went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Evans finished 2-for-3 with a run while senior Jessica Crull and freshman Jadyn Powell each tallied hits. 
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Rangers will take Friday off, but head back to the Rosemont Dome on Saturday, Feb. 22, battling William Jewell at 9 a.m. and Findlay and 1:30 p.m.