Game 1 Game 2
The UW-Parkside softball team had one date left on the regular season schedule before making its way to the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament. The Rangers crossed the Mississippi to tangle with Winona State, a team which picked up national votes in the latest NCAA Division II poll.
The teams split a pair of non-conference games on Tuesday. The homestanding Warriors won the opener, 4-2; however, the Rangers rebounded to win Game 2, 6-2.
Kallie Walczak was Parkside's pitcher in Game One. She gave up three earned runs on five hits. She fanned seven and did not walk a batter.
Each team had five hits.
Christine Holthus collected a pair of knocks for the Rangers.
Winona State scored three big runs in the home half of the sixth inning. A two-run home run and a solo shot accounted for the tallies.
Game Two was a different story. The Rangers pounced on the Warriors for three in the first and two in the second.
Krista Kelly jacked a three-run homer in the first and
Lisa Casey sent two home with a single to right.
Holthus stayed hot with the hat trick in hits.
Amy Horn and
Meg McCormick each had two hits in the 10-hit effort by UWP.
Jessica Bryant was the winning pitcher. She scattered nine hits in the distance performance.
The Rangers will enter GLVC tournament play with a 27-19 record. Winona State will go to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tourney with a 35-10 mark.
You can get all the tournament information you need, including live stats, at one central location:
http://www.glvcsports.org/sports/2010/1/12/SB_2010_tourney_0112101050.aspx?id=5790
The Rangers enter as the No. 7 seed and will take on No. 2 Quincy in the first round of the double-elimination tournament. That contest will commence Friday, May 7, at 11:00 a.m., in East Peoria, Illinois. A Ranger win would have them playing at 5:00 p.m. later that day. A UWP loss would see the Rangers play at 3:00 p.m.