GAME 1: Parkside 5, Saginaw Valley State 4
GAME 2: Saginaw Valley State 7, Parkside 3
The Parkside softball team will leave another GLIAC matchup with a split; their third straight after splitting against No. 14 Grand Valley State and Northwood last week. The Rangers took game one, 5-4, after scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI single from starting pitcher Allison Hausl.
 
In game two, the Rangers clawed back from down 3-0 to tie it in the fifth thanks to a homer from sophomore Dani Evans. However, the Cardinals responded with three of their own in the top of the sixth and were able to hold down the Parkside offense to secure a split.
 
GAME 1 RECAP
Each team scored a run in their first set of plate appearances. The Cardinals scored on a Parkside fielding error, and the Rangers brought home a run off the bat of sophomore Alex Wooten, whose groundball to second base scored sophomore Taylor Delgado.
 
The Green & White put up a crooked number in the bottom the third when they got home runs from sophomore Dani Evans and Wooten, and an RBI triple from senior Jessica Miklos that scored Hausl. That lead wouldn't last long, as Saginaw Valley State tied the game at four in the top of the fourth with a two-out, three-run home run. Hausl responded in the bottom of the fifth when she singled in Brookins and gave Parkside a 5-4 lead that she wouldn't relinquish on the mound.
 
Hausl pitched a complete game for the Rangers, yielding only one earned run on seven hits.
 
GAME 2 RECAP
The Cardinals opened the scoring in the second inning of game two thanks to a Ranger fielding error that allowed a runner on third to score. They added two more in the top of the fifth with a two-hit, two-run frame off of Parkside starter Kiley Aikey.
 
Through the first four innings, the Green & White had only been able to muster one hit off of Cardinal starter Emily Depew. However, in the fifth inning they were able to do some damage. Miklos started the inning off with a walk, sophomore Brenna Konstanty reached on an error, and Evans stepped up to the plate to hit her second home run of the day to tie the game at three. The Cardinals bounced back almost immediately in the next half inning when they got an RBI single from Blasia Moyler, and a two-out, two-RBI double from Sarah Gersch to take a 6-3 lead. They added another in the seventh to make it 7-3, and were able to hold the Parkside offense down to seal it.
 
STATWORTHY
Evans two home runs now move her to seven home runs on the year, the highest mark since Carly Dundee hit 11 in 2017. Wooten's second home run is good for the third highest mark on the team. Another Ranger who stood out offensively was redshirt-senior Megan Aliverti, who finished the day 3-for-5.
 
After a strong seven innings in game one, Hausl moved her ERA down to 4.32 on the year. In her last sixteen innings pitched, stretching back to her start against No. 14 Grand Valley State, she has only allowed three earned runs.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Rangers will host Senior Day this Saturday, April 17 when they welcome Ashland to Case Softball Complex for a doubleheader at noon & 2 p.m. On Sunday, they'll host Wayne State for another home doubleheader, with game times also at noon & 2 p.m.