KENOSHA, Wis. – The Parkside softball team closed the regular season in style Saturday at Case Softball Complex, sweeping Roosevelt by scores of 6-0 and 6-5.
The Rangers finished 4-0 against the Lakers this season, sweeping the regular-season series while reaching several major milestones along the way. Casey Jo Vermett became just the fourth Ranger in program history to record 200 strikeouts in a season, while Mia Johnson became Parkside's all-time doubles leader with the 58th double of her career in game two.
GAME ONE (PARKSIDE 6, ROOSEVELT 0):
Vermett set the tone in the opener, delivering another dominant complete-game shutout while making program history in the process.
The sophomore worked around traffic early, including a stolen-base threat in the first and two walks in the fourth, but continued to pile up strikeouts. With her fifth strikeout of the game, coming for the second out in the top of the third, Vermett reached 200 strikeouts for the season. She became just the fourth Ranger ever to reach the mark and the first to do so in 18 years, joining Meagan Shimkus, who last accomplished the feat in 2008.
Parkside's offense broke through in the fourth. Taylor Utrata walked, Reese Valha reached on a fielder's choice, and Jadyn Polerecky singled through the left side. Johnson followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Valha, and Elodie Sullivan added another RBI single to bring home Polerecky. Johnson then came around to score on a Roosevelt throwing error, giving the Rangers a 3-0 lead.
Vermett continued to protect the lead, striking out the side in the sixth after Roosevelt put two runners aboard.
The Rangers added three more in the bottom of the sixth. Johnson led off with her 17th home run of the season, sending a solo shot to left. Isabel Aranda followed with a double to left, and Megan Medlin launched her sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot that pushed the lead to 6-0.
Vermett finished off the shutout in the seventh, ending the game with her 14th strikeout. She allowed just three hits and no runs over seven innings while walking six. The complete-game shutout was her latest standout performance in a season that now includes more than 200 strikeouts.
Parkside finished with eight hits in the win. Johnson went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Medlin added two hits, including the two-run homer, while Aranda doubled and scored. Sullivan went 1-for-4 with an RBI, Polerecky singled and scored, and Di Silvio added a double.
GAME TWO (PARKSIDE 6, ROOSEVELT 5):
Game two started with another historic moment, then turned into one of Parkside's best comeback wins of the season.
Johnson opened the bottom of the first by roping a double to straightaway center, the 58th double of her career. With it, she passed Jackie Aiken to become Parkside's all-time doubles leader, breaking a record that had stood for 29 years.
Roosevelt, however, controlled the early part of the game. The Lakers scored four runs in the first on a grand slam from Marissa Quintero, then added another in the second on a fielder's choice to take a 5-0 lead.
Parkside began its comeback in the fourth. Medlin doubled to center, Ava Swain singled, and CICI Di Silvio walked to load the bases. Utrata reached on a fielder's choice, and Reese Valha cleared the bases with a three-run double to right center, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Holly Lowenberg settled in after the early damage and gave the Rangers time to climb back. She held Roosevelt scoreless over the final five innings and retired the Lakers in order in the seventh.
Parkside completed the comeback in the sixth. Valha walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, and Sullivan singled to left center to score her and make it 5-4. Aranda followed with a single up the middle, and Medlin came through with an RBI single to left. Sullivan scored to tie the game, and Aranda came all the way around after a fielding error in left to put Parkside in front 6-5.
Lowenberg closed the door from there, finishing the complete-game win. She allowed five runs on five hits, walked four and struck out six across seven innings.
The Rangers totaled eight hits in game two. Medlin went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Sullivan went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk. Johnson added the record-breaking double, Valha drove in three with her bases-clearing double, and Aranda singled and scored the go-ahead run.
The sweep moved Parkside to 25-27 overall and 14-14 in GLIAC play to close the regular season.
The Rangers now turn their attention to the GLIAC Tournament, which begins Thursday, May 7, at Crown Point Sportsplex in Crown Point, Indiana. Depending on Sunday's results, Parkside will be either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed and will face Purdue Northwest in the first game of the tournament at 11 a.m. CT.
To keep up with the Rangers, be sure to visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
