GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Parkside softball program took on Davenport on Saturday afternoon in road GLIAC action. The Rangers got two critical wins to sweep the Panthers, moving Parkside into a tie for second place in the conference standings.
Game One
Parkside opened up strong on the road, taking down Davenport 4-2 in a tight, seven-inning battle in game one.
The Rangers broke through in the third inning with a two-out rally sparked by
Mia Johnson's infield single and
Haley Remington's double to left. A defensive miscue by the Panthers allowed both runners to cross the plate, putting Parkside ahead 2-0.
Eden Welling would deliver a solo homerun to push the Ranger lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning.
After Davenport cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth,
Eden Welling delivered a crucial insurance run in the seventh with a leadoff single before coming around to score on
Ava Swain's sacrifice fly.
Parkside's defense stayed composed late, turning a key double play in the sixth and working around baserunners in the final frames to seal the win.
Game Two
Trailing 6-2 in the sixth, Parkside softball mounted an incredible late-game comeback to surge past Davenport 11-7 and complete the Saturday sweep in GLIAC play.
The Rangers exploded for nine runs over the final two innings, capped by
Mia Johnson's second home run of the game, a three-run blast in the seventh to break the game open. Johnson finished the day with five RBIs, going 2-for-5 and delivering in clutch moments to power the Rangers.
Down four runs in the sixth, Parkside strung together a disciplined rally that included a wild pitch, four walks, and a two-RBI single from
Haley Remington, who went 3-for-4 and reached base four times in the win. The four-run sixth tied the game at 6-6.
After a clean defensive bottom half, the Rangers stayed hot at the plate in the seventh. RBI singles from
Eden Welling and Remington, followed by Johnson's towering homer to left center, gave Parkside a commanding 11-6 lead.
Welling also had a strong showing at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including the go-ahead hit in the seventh.
Davenport pushed across one run in the bottom of the frame, but Parkside's defense held strong to close out the game.
Up Next
The Rangers now turn their focus to Ferris State as they will take on the Bulldogs tomorrow. Sunday's doubleheader is slated for 1 and 3 pm EDT. Coverage can be accessed at ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
