KENOSHA, Wis. – The Parkside softball team split its doubleheader against Davenport on Wednesday at Case Softball Complex, taking game one 4-1 before falling 6-1 in game two.
Casey Jo Vermett dominated the opener in the circle, striking out 16 over a complete-game three-hitter, while Mia Johnson powered the offense with a triple and a three-run home run. In game two, the Rangers again got traffic on the bases and finished with nine hits, but Davenport used a three-run sixth inning to pull away and salvage the split.
GAME ONE (PARKSIDE 4, DAVENPORT 1):
Parkside answered Davenport's early run and then broke the game open in the fourth behind Johnson's bat and Vermett's overpowering outing in the circle.
Davenport struck first in the top of the first when Randi Robakowski walked, stole second and scored on an RBI double to left center by Alaina Schwanke.
The Rangers responded right away in the bottom half. Johnson tripled to right field to open the inning, and Ava Swain followed with an RBI single to right to tie the game at 1-1.
From there, Vermett took control. The sophomore piled up strikeouts throughout the afternoon and kept Davenport off the board over the final six innings. She struck out the side in the third, worked around a single in the fifth, and finished the game with three straight strikeouts across the final two innings.
Parkside found the decisive swing in the fourth. Maddie Hernandez worked a walk and Peyton Klikno followed with a single down the left-field line. With two on and two out, Johnson crushed a three-run home run to center that went off the top of the wall and out to give the Rangers a 4-1 lead.
That was all the support Vermett needed. She finished off the complete-game win by allowing just three hits and one earned run while walking four and striking out 16 in seven innings. Davenport hit just .120 against her, and no Panther recorded more than one hit.
Johnson led the way offensively for Parkside, going 2-for-3 with a triple, a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Swain added a hit, a walk and an RBI, while Hernandez and Klikno each scored during the fourth-inning rally. The Rangers finished with five hits and drew five walks in the win.
Davenport managed only three hits, with Schwanke driving in the lone run on her first-inning double. Chloe Bruman and Darby Kramp recorded the Panthers' other two hits.
GAME TWO (DAVENPORT 6, PARKSIDE 1):
The second game was much tighter for five innings, but Davenport broke through late and held off Parkside despite another solid day at the plate from the Rangers.
The Panthers struck first in the opening inning. Chloe Bruman walked and stole second, Kailyne Luna drew a walk, and Darby Kramp singled to right to score Luna and put Davenport in front 1-0.
Parkside had chances early but could not cash in. Reese Valha doubled in the second, Johnson singled in both the first and third innings, and Isabel Aranda doubled in the fourth. The Rangers finally broke through in that fourth inning when Aranda's double set the table and Valha followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.
Davenport reclaimed the lead in the fifth on a Luna solo home run to right, making it 2-1.
The Panthers then created separation in the sixth. Lyla Reynolds singled, Madison Cole doubled down the right-field line, and Chloe Parker followed with a two-run double to left center. Later in the inning, Luna brought home another run on a fielder's choice to push the margin to 5-1.
Davenport added an insurance run in the seventh when Lexie McCarty singled home a run after another walk and a base runner moved into scoring position.
Parkside continued to put the ball in play and finished with nine hits, but the Rangers could not come up with the timely hit after the fourth inning. Johnson paced the lineup by going 3-for-4, while Valha finished 2-for-3 with a double and the Rangers' lone RBI. Aranda doubled and scored the only run, Maddie Hernandez added a hit, Peyton Klikno singled, and Ava Swain also recorded a hit.
Melanie Andrysiak took the loss after allowing seven hits and four runs over five innings. Vermett came on in relief and worked the final two innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out two.
Davenport totaled 10 hits in the win. Luna led the way by going 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored, while Reynolds collected three hits. Parker delivered a key two-run double, and McCarty added an RBI single.
The split leaves Parkside with a 13-21 overall record and a 4-8 mark in GLIAC play. The Rangers return to action Saturday, April 11, with a home doubleheader against Saginaw Valley State at noon CT at Case Softball Complex.
To keep up with the Rangers, be sure to visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
