KENOSHA, Wis. – The Parkside softball team split its doubleheader against first-place (RV) Saginaw Valley State on Saturday at Case Softball Complex, falling 6-1 in game one before answering with a dramatic walk-off 1-0 win in game two.
The split gave Parkside one of its biggest results of the season. After dropping the opener to reigning GLIAC Pitcher of the Year Macy Irelan, who earned her league-leading 11th win of the season, the Rangers bounced back to beat Saginaw Valley State for the first time in nearly five years. The victory snapped a 24-game losing streak against the Cardinals, marked Parkside's first win in the series since April 14, 2021, and handed Saginaw Valley State just its second GLIAC loss of the season.
GAME ONE (SAGINAW VALLEY STATE 6, PARKSIDE 1):
Parkside grabbed the early lead in the opener, but Saginaw Valley State answered with a big third inning and controlled the rest of the way.
The Rangers struck first in the bottom of the opening frame. Ava Swain reached on a throwing error, Isabel Aranda followed with a double down the left-field line, and after Megan Medlin walked to load the bases, Maddie Hernandez brought home a run with a groundout to second to make it 1-0.
That lead held until the third, when the Cardinals broke through. Ella Reifschneider opened the inning with a bunt single, Katelyn Pnacek followed with a single to center, and Mya Purdy tied the game with an RBI fielder's choice. Emma Helvie then delivered the biggest hit of the inning, lining a two-run single to right center to push Saginaw Valley State in front 3-1.
The Cardinals added another run in the fourth. Ella Schneider singled, Reifschneider bunted her way on again, and after Pnacek walked to load the bases, Aalana Kimble lifted a sacrifice fly to center to stretch the lead to 4-1.
Parkside had a chance to answer in the fifth when Mia Johnson walked, Swain singled, and Aranda reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners with one out. But Saginaw Valley State got out of the inning with back-to-back lineouts and kept the Rangers from drawing any closer.
The Cardinals added two insurance runs in the seventh. Evelynn Rybicki singled down the right-field line, Jenna Morse walked, and after a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up, Reifschneider brought home one with a sacrifice fly. Pnacek followed with an RBI single to center to make it 6-1.
Parkside finished with four hits in the loss. Aranda led the way by going 2-for-4 with a double, while Swain and CICI Di Silvio added one hit each. Hernandez drove in the Rangers' only run, and Parkside also drew five walks.
Melanie Andrysiak went the distance in the circle for the first time in her collegiate career, allowing 11 hits and six runs over seven innings. She kept the Rangers within striking distance for much of the afternoon, but the Cardinals came through with timely hits and strong situational at-bats.
Saginaw Valley State totaled 11 hits in the opener. Reifschneider went 3-for-3 with an RBI, Pnacek finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, and Helvie drove in two with her third-inning single. Irelan worked all seven innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run while striking out six.
GAME TWO (PARKSIDE 1, SAGINAW VALLEY STATE 0):
The second game turned into a tense pitchers' duel, and Parkside finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh to earn a dramatic walk-off victory.
Casey Jo Vermett was outstanding from the start, matching Saginaw Valley State pitch for pitch and keeping one of the GLIAC's best lineups off the board all afternoon. The sophomore worked out of early trouble in the first after the Cardinals put runners on second and third with one out, striking out Lillia Sherman and getting a flyout to escape the jam.
From there, Vermett settled in and took control. She struck out 11 over seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and one walk. Saginaw Valley State never advanced a runner past second after the fourth inning.
Parkside's offense was hard to come by against Aalana Kimble, but the Rangers made the most of their late opportunity. Reese Valha singled up the middle in the second for Parkside's first hit, and the Rangers also benefited from a pair of Saginaw Valley State errors in the fourth, though they could not cash in.
The breakthrough finally came in the bottom of the seventh. Isabel Aranda singled through the left side to start the inning, Megan Medlin laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her into scoring position, and Elodie Sullivan grounded out to push the winning run to third. That brought up Valha, who delivered the moment of the day with a soft single up the middle that just snuck through, allowing Aranda to score the winning run and sending the Rangers home with a 1-0 walk-off win.
Valha played hero in game two, recording two of Parkside's three hits and driving in the lone run. Aranda scored the game-winner and collected the Rangers' other hit.
Vermett earned the shutout victory after throwing all seven innings and striking out 11. She held the Cardinals to four hits and did not allow a run in one of her best outings of the season.
Saginaw Valley State got two hits from Emma Helvie and one each from Kimble and Sherman, but Kimble took the tough-luck loss after allowing just three hits and one run in 6.2 innings.
The split moved Parkside to 14-22 overall and 5-9 in GLIAC play. More importantly, it gave the Rangers a signature win, ending a long skid against Saginaw Valley State and handing the Cardinals only their second conference loss of the year.
Parkside returns to action Sunday, April 12, to close out its eight-game homestand with a doubleheader against Wayne State beginning at noon CT at Case Softball Complex. It will also be Senior Day, with three seniors set to be honored prior to first pitch of game one.
To keep up with the Rangers, be sure to visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
