Game 1 vs. Lewis Game 2 vs. Indy Game 3 vs. SIUE Game 4 vs. Indy Game 5 vs. SIUE
What a run! The UW-Parkside softball team was wondering if it was even going to qualify for the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament just 6 days prior. On Saturday afternoon, the team was playing for the league championship. The Rangers became the first eight seed in the history of the tournament to make it to the finals.
The Rangers needed to defeat defending national champion SIU Edwardsville twice to bring home GLVC hardware and qualify for the NCAA tournament; however, the Cougars had other plans, handing the Rangers a 12-0 defeat.
The following is a brief recap of all the Ranger games played:
It was the No. 1 seed versus the No. 8. On paper, the No. 1 seed wins easily. In reality, the No. 8 seeded UW-Parkside softball team knocked off Lewis in the first round of the double-elimination Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament, 3-1. Then, the Rangers came back for an encore, toppping Indianapolis, 1-0, later in the day.
All games were played at the Eastside Complex in Peoria, Illinois.
The Rangers overcame a first inning solo home run. The score remained, 1-0, until the top of the sixth inning when UW-Parkside busted loose.
After one out, Amanda Miller reached on an infield single. Lisa Casey walked and Krista Kelly singled to load the bases. Meg McCormick singled to left, knotting the score. Mandi Andrews was hit by a pitch to give the Rangers another run. A Flyer error kept the inning alive. UW-Parkside had a chance for more, but left the bases loaded in the frame.
Miller just missed a home run in the fourth inning. She hit a shot high off the fence, but had to settle for a double.
Meagan Shimkus was the winning pitcher. She struck out nine and walked three in scattering seven hits.
The Rangers took down Indianapolis, 1-0, in the second game for each team. Each squad notched four hits and made three errors.
The lone run came in the bottom of the first inning. Christine Holthus tripled down the left field line and came in to score on a fielder's choice from Katrina Homa.
Shimkus was stellar. She walked two and struck out nine.
Shimkus was hit hard in an 11-5 loss to SIU Edwardsville. She gave up six earned runs on nine hits before being lifted in the fifth inning. Jessica Bryant then came in to pitch the rest of the way, giving up a pair of earned runs.
At the plate, Miller was 3-3. The Rangers trailed, 6-0, then scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Cougars answered by scoring four of their own in the fourth and five in the sixth.
Kelly jacked a solo homer in the seventh inning to close out the scoring.
After a brief break, the Rangers went on to shutout Indianapolis, 3-0, setting up Saturday's finals. It was the second time in the tournament that UW-P gave the Greyhounds a goose egg.
Shimkus came into the seventh inning with a two-hitter. The 'Hounds forged a pair of hits in the final frame, but Shimkus stranded a pair in scoring position to end the game.
SIU Edwardsville pulled away from a scoreless deadlock in the top of the third in the finals. The Cougars plated six unearned runs.
SIUE out-hit the Rangers, 9-6.
UW-Parkside ended with a 28-22 overall record. Miller led the team in batting average for the season by over 100 points at .434. Homa was the RBI leader with 30. Kelly was the home run leader with six.
Shimkus ended her senior season with a record of 17-10 and a 2.35 earned run average. She struck out 240 batters in 205 innings.