ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Parkside Rangers were walked off twice Friday afternoon at Maryville Softball Field, falling 5-4 in eight innings in game one and 7-6 in game two against the Maryville Saints.

GAME ONE VS. MARYVILLE:
Parkside struck first in the opener with a three-run third inning and looked in control early. Peyton Klikno opened the frame with a single, then moved into scoring position on a pair of wild pitches. Mia Johnson followed with a walk and stolen base before CICI Di Silvio ripped a two-run double to left center to bring home both runners. Later in the inning, Reese Valha added an RBI single to score Di Silvio and give the Rangers a 3-0 lead.

Maryville answered in the bottom of the fourth. Addison Koth tripled to right center and came home on an RBI single from Emily Erb to cut the Parkside lead to 3-1.

The Saints pulled even in the fifth with two more extra-base hits. Mandi Lenon doubled to left center, Laila Ruiz followed with an RBI double, and Kaitlyn Wagner later delivered another run-scoring double to tie the game at 3-3.

Both teams went quiet through the sixth and seventh innings before Parkside regained the lead in the top of the eighth. With the extra inning "runner on second" rule in effect, Di Silvio started the inning on second and moved to third on a passed ball. Ava Swain then singled to bring her home and put the Rangers back in front, 4-3.

Maryville answered immediately in the bottom half. Wagner began the inning at second and scored on an RBI triple to right from Erb, tying the game. One batter later, Marley Williamson singled to left to bring home the winning run and hand the Saints a 5-4 walk-off victory.

Parkside finished with eight hits in the opener. Valha led the way with two hits and an RBI, while Johnson, Di Silvio, Swain, Isabel Aranda, Elodie Sullivan and Klikno each added a hit. Di Silvio drove in two runs, and Swain and Valha each collected one RBI. Johnson also scored once, walked once and stole a base.

In the circle, Casey Jo Vermett worked 4.1 innings and allowed three earned runs with five walks and three strikeouts. Melanie Andrysiak threw the final 2.2 innings and allowed two runs, both unearned, while striking out three.

Maryville managed seven hits in the win, with Erb driving in two and posting the game-tying RBI triple in the eighth. Williamson delivered the walk-off single, while Koth, Lenon, Ruiz and Wagner all supplied extra-base hits.

GAME TWO VS. MARYVILLE:
The second game turned into another back-and-forth battle, with Parkside showing plenty of offensive firepower behind Mia Johnson's two-homer performance.

Johnson wasted no time getting the Rangers on the board, leading off the game with a solo home run to center field for a 1-0 advantage.

Maryville answered quickly in the bottom of the first. After Jenna Kosnoff walked to open the inning, a Parkside throwing error on a sacrifice bunt allowed the tying run to score. Ruiz followed with a two-run homer to left center, and the Saints jumped in front 3-1.

Maryville added another run in the second after a pair of errors and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch pushed the lead to 4-1.

Parkside responded again in the third. Johnson worked a walk, and Ava Swain launched a two-run home run to center field to cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Rangers pulled even in the fifth when Johnson blasted her second solo homer of the afternoon, this time the other way to right field, tying the game at 4-4.

Parkside took its first lead since the opening inning in the sixth. Taylor Utrata singled to right, Isabel Aranda reached on a fielder's choice, and Reese Valha drove a double to center to score Aranda and make it 5-4.

The Rangers added an insurance run in the seventh. Elodie Sullivan opened the inning with a single, Megan Medlin moved her over with a sacrifice bunt, and Peyton Klikno followed with a single down the left-field line. After Klikno stole second and Johnson was intentionally walked, a wild pitch allowed Sullivan to score and extended the Parkside lead to 6-4.

But Maryville rallied again in the bottom of the seventh. Kosnoff doubled to left, Lenon moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt, and Kaitlyn Wagner delivered an RBI single that also turned into an extra base on a Parkside error, cutting the deficit to 6-5. Two batters later, Addison Koth ended the game with a two-run home run to left, giving the Saints a 7-6 walk-off win.

Johnson was the standout in game two, going 2-for-2 with two home runs, three runs scored, two RBI and two walks. Swain added a home run and two RBI, while Valha doubled in a run. Utrata, Sullivan and Klikno each had one hit as Parkside totaled seven in the second game.

Lowenberg went the distance in the circle, allowing seven runs, four earned, on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts over 6.1 innings.

Maryville also finished with seven hits in game two. Ruiz went 2-for-2 with a home run, double and three RBI, while Koth delivered the game-winning two-run homer in the seventh. Kosnoff scored twice, and Williamson added two hits.

Despite the two losses, Parkside's offense was consistent and plentiful. The Rangers scored 10 runs on 15 hits across the doubleheader, with Johnson homering twice in game two and Swain, Di Silvio, Valha and Klikno all contributing key hits in timely spots.

Parkside returns to action Saturday, March 7, for its second of three doubleheaders this weekend, taking on Maryville at 11 a.m. CT before facing Hillsdale at 1:30 p.m. CT at the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex in Chesterfield, Missouri.

To keep up with the Rangers, visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.