KENOSHA, Wis. — Parkside softball continues its early-season road stretch this weekend with a pair of non-conference doubleheaders in Ohio, beginning Saturday, March 14 at Tiffin before finishing the trip Sunday, March 15 at Findlay.
The Rangers will open the weekend in Tiffin, Ohio, taking on the Dragons at Tiffin Softball Field with games scheduled for noon CT and 2 p.m. CT. Parkside will then travel to Findlay, Ohio, for a Sunday doubleheader against the Oilers at Findlay High School's Ammons Field, with first pitch again set for noon CT followed by a 2 p.m. CT second game.
ABOUT THE RANGERS:
Parkside enters the weekend 5-11 overall after a competitive five-game trip to the St. Louis area where the Rangers finished 2-3. Parkside dropped a pair of close games to Maryville to open the weekend before responding with a 10-7 victory over Hillsdale and splitting Sunday's doubleheader at Missouri-St. Louis with a 7-6 win in the finale.
The Rangers scored 30 runs over the five games and produced several strong individual performances at the plate. Mia Johnson led the way offensively during the weekend, batting .385 with three home runs and seven RBI while scoring eight runs. Reese Valha also swung a hot bat, hitting .375 with two doubles and three RBI, while Isabel Aranda collected six hits over the five contests. Peyton Klikno added five hits during the weekend, and Ava Swain contributed a home run and five RBI.
Through 16 games this season, Parkside is hitting .271 as a team with 30 doubles, nine home runs and 70 RBI. Johnson has been one of the most productive hitters in the region early in the year, batting .543 with nine doubles, one triple, six home runs and 17 RBI while scoring 19 runs. She also owns a 1.174 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage.
Several other Rangers have provided offensive support behind Johnson. Isabel Aranda is hitting .341 with three doubles and five RBI, while Reese Valha is batting .277 with five doubles and seven RBI. Cici Di Silvio has five doubles and 11 RBI, and Ava Swain has added two home runs and nine RBI.
In the circle, Parkside owns a 3.59 team ERA with 85 strikeouts in just over 103 innings pitched. Holly Lowenberg has handled the most innings so far, posting a 3-3 record with a 2.63 ERA in 37.1 innings. Casey Jo Vermett has struck out a team-high 37 batters in 29.2 innings of work and has been one of the Rangers' primary strikeout options.
SCOUTING TIFFIN:
Tiffin enters the week with a 7-7 overall record and will play its first home games of the season this week, hosting GLIAC opponent Davenport before welcoming Parkside on Saturday.
The Dragons are coming off a 1-3 showing at the Embry-Riddle Round Robin in Daytona Beach, Florida, but have shown the ability to generate offense with several productive hitters at the top of their lineup.
McKenna Scott leads the team with a .447 batting average and has collected 21 hits in 14 games while scoring 13 runs and stealing six bases. Jessica Miller has provided the power in the lineup, batting .304 with four doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI while posting a .522 slugging percentage.
Tori McPherson is also hitting above .300 at .302 and has started all 14 games, while Reagan Mengerink has driven in 12 runs with four doubles and a home run.
Saturday's games will also provide a chance for Parkside to even the all-time series. Tiffin holds a 2-0 advantage against the Rangers after sweeping a doubleheader at the Music City Invitational in Smyrna, Tennessee, on Feb. 18, 2023.
SCOUTING FINDLAY:
Findlay enters the week with one of the best records among Midwest Region programs early in the season, sitting at 12-3 overall.
The Oilers are coming off an impressive 8-2 performance at the Space Coast Spring Games in Florida and will play a busy stretch of home doubleheaders before facing Parkside. Findlay is scheduled to host Saginaw Valley State and Davenport earlier in the week before Sunday's matchup with the Rangers.
Offensively, the Oilers have been one of the hottest teams in the region at the plate. Jenna Poulson leads the team with a .481 batting average, while Meghan Heinsman is hitting .404 and leads the team with eight doubles and 11 RBI.
Annika Bredel has also been a major run producer, batting .367 with four doubles, two triples, a home run and 14 RBI while scoring 14 runs. Jenna Dee is hitting .366 with four doubles and nine RBI, and Alexys Antal adds another .333 hitter to the lineup while drawing a team-high 10 walks.
Historically, Parkside holds the edge in the series, owning a 7-3 all-time record against Findlay. However, the last meeting between the programs came at the Music City Invitational on Feb. 17, 2023, when the Oilers earned an 8-0 victory.
Sunday will also mark the first time the Rangers have ever played Findlay on the Oilers' home field.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Following the weekend trip to Ohio, Parkside will continue its non-conference portion of the schedule in Quincy, Illinois to take on the Quincy Hawks for a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 18, before turning its focus toward GLIAC play, hosting Grand Valley State on Saturday, March 21, and then Purdue Northwest on Sunday, March 22.
To keep up with Ranger Athletics, visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
