KENOSHA, Wis. — Parkside softball returns to the road for another busy weekend in Missouri, playing six games in three days against Maryville, Hillsdale, and Missouri-St. Louis.
The trip begins Friday, March 6, with a doubleheader at Maryville Softball Field in St. Louis, Mo., starting at noon CT and 2 p.m. CT. The Rangers then shift to the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex in Chesterfield, Mo., for four games over the final two days: Parkside will finish the series with Maryville on Saturday, March 7 at 11 a.m. CT, face Hillsdale later that afternoon at 1:30 p.m. CT, and then wrap the weekend with a Sunday, March 8 doubleheader against UMSL at noon CT and 2 p.m. CT.
ABOUT THE RANGERS:
Parkside is coming off competing at the Oasis Sports Complex in Marion, Illinois, where the Rangers went 2-3 over five games and highlighted the weekend with a 9-1 blowout win over then-unbeaten and No. 11 Indianapolis. The Rangers' pitching staff was sharp throughout the weekend, posting a 1.80 team ERA and allowing just nine earned runs over 35 innings of work.
Offensively, Parkside continues to be paced by reigning GLIAC Player of the Year Mia Johnson, who is coming off her second straight GLIAC Player of the Week award after a dominant weekend at the plate. Johnson hit .600 at Oasis with seven extra-base hits and six RBI, while also being perfect in 31 chances defensively at third base.
SCOUTING MARYVILLE:
Maryville enters the weekend 7-8 overall and has shown plenty of power early, belting 20 home runs in its first 15 games. Laila Ruiz has been the big bat so far, hitting .462 with eight homers and 20 RBI, while Jenna Kosnoff is batting .415 with six homers and 16 driven in. In the circle, Nora Johnson has logged the most innings and carries a 2.38 ERA with 23 strikeouts, helping Maryville post a 3.51 team ERA on the season.
SCOUTING HILLSDALE:
Hillsdale comes in at 5-5 overall and is swinging it well as a team, hitting .300 through the first 10 games. Taylor Lewis has been the tone-setter offensively, batting .483 with four doubles, while Maggie Olaveson is hitting .394 and already has three home runs with 10 RBI. Grace Harris (4-1) has been the Chargers' most productive arm so far with a 3.99 ERA, and Mackenzi Maxson has also provided key innings with a 3.55 ERA.
SCOUTING MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS:
UMSL enters the weekend 6-12 overall and will be seeing Parkside for the second and third times already this season. The Tritons have multiple hitters off to strong starts, led by May Pasqualini (.431, six doubles, 11 RBI) and Kiley Sullivan (.358). UMSL's staff has battled early-season traffic but has an experienced group that has covered innings with several arms already working in double-digit frames. Ashley Ware (2.85 ERA) has been one of the steadier options, and Ashley Borowitz (3.73 ERA) has also logged significant work.
The two teams met March 1 at the Oasis Sports Complex in Marion, Illinois, with UMSL edging Parkside 5-4 in nine innings. Parkside jumped out early with a three-run second inning, highlighted by an Isabel Aranda RBI single, an RBI groundout from Megan Medlin, and an RBI double from Mia Johnson. UMSL answered back and ultimately pulled ahead in the ninth, before Parkside tied it in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Reese Valha. The Rangers received a complete-game effort from Casey Jo Vermett in the circle, striking out 12 across nine innings.
LOOKING AHEAD:
After the six-game weekend in Missouri, Parkside continues its road stretch in Ohio next week, opening with a doubleheader at Tiffin on Saturday, March 14, before heading to Findlay for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 15.
To keep up with Ranger Athletics, visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
