KENOSHA, Wis. -- The Parkside softball team continued their homestand on Saturday afternoon against Wayne State. The program also honored it's senior class ahead of the doubleheader action recognizing
Olivia Fee,
KC Shickel,
Emmee Ball,
Taylor Delgado, and
Cassie Rutledge. The seniors would get two senior day victories as the Rangers would sweep the Warriors, winning 5-4 and 7-5.
Game One
Ellie Curtis would get the start on the rubber in game one, fresh off a dominant performance in her ast outing. Curtis would go 5.1 innings for Parkside, striking out three and allowing four runs.
Olivia Fee would come on in relief of Curtis and earn the win. Fee, on her senior day, would throw the final 1.2 innings and shutdown the Warriors.
The Rangers would start the inning with a bang.
Mia Johnson would deliver a two run home run to left field to give the Rangers the early 2-0 lead. Johnson has now tallied three home runs on the season to lead the Rangers in the category.
The Warriors would answer in the third inning as they would post a run on a RBI single.
In the bottom half of the fourth the Rangers offense produced more runs. The Rangers would plate two more runs off a
Toni Rodriguez double to right center field. Including Rodriguez's double, the Rangers posted three extra base hits in game one.
Wayne State made things interesting in the sixth inning of play. The Warriors would string together four hits and drive in three runs to bring the score even at 4-4.
The Rangers would get to work in the seventh inning as Megan Maza would pinch hit for the Rangers. She would reach base after being hit by a pitch, as
Eden Welling would enter to pinch run at first base to give the Rangers some speed on the basepaths. Delgado would deliver a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Welling into scoring position and set the scene for
Cassie Rutledge. On her senior day, the grad student would send a single up the middle to score the speedy Welling from second base as the Rangers would win in thrilling walk off fashion over the Warriors 5-4.
Game Two
KC Shickel would get the starting nod in game two of the doubleheader for the Rangers. The senior dealt 3.1 innings allowing just one run.
Olivia Masnica would get the win for game two. She pitched 1.2 innings of relief while allowing just two Warrior hits.
The Warriors, hungry for revenge, struck first in game two. Wayne State would plate a run off a RBI single.
Parkside answered immediately in the bottom half of the opening frame. The Rangers first four batter would reach base with Delgado drawing a walk, Rutledge being hit by a pitch, a Johnson single through the right side and a
Rylee Baetz double to right field. Johnson's single would score both Delgado and Rutledge and Baetz's double would score Johnson. Baetz would come home on a
Toni Rodriguez sacrifice fly. The Rangers would take a commanding lead after at the end of the first, 4-1.
The game would stay relatively quiet offensively between the two sides, outside of a Ranger run in the third inning from a
Tia Livernash RBI single up the middle, the next flurry of runs wouldn't come until the sixth frame. Wayne State would fire off two home runs and a RBI base knock to score four runs in the inning to knot the score up at 5.
The rally Rangers didn't let that stop them. Parkside would have two runners reach in the inning to allow Johnson to step to the plate. Already with a multi hit game, Johnson looked to drive in the game winning run. Despite being down in the count 1-2, Johnson delivered a shot up the middle to score two go ahead runs to give the Rangers the lead in the bottom half of the sixth. It was all Parkside needed as Masnica would slam the door closed and seal the Senior Day sweep for the Rangers.
Up Next
The Rangers will return to the field in less than 24 hours as they will host Saginaw Valley State at the Case Softball Complex. Game one of the GLIAC doubleheader is set for a noon first pitch. Coverage for the game can be found at ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
