Somers, Wis. – Kristin Kleinmeyer tossed another gem in earning the UW-Parkside softball team a split against Northern Kentucky. The sophomore won her second consecutive start tossing a complete game four-hitter in the Rangers 4-0 win in game two. NKU took the first game on Saturday, 11-2.
 
The Rangers moved to 3-15 in the conference while the Norse finish the day 10-8. UW-Parkside will wrap up its 12-game homestand with a doubleheader on Sunday against Bellarmine at the Case Softball Complex. The first game will start at noon.
 
Game One (Box Score)
Kelynn Sporer threw three scoreless innings before the Norse broke through in the fourth. A two-out hit broke the seal before NKU stretched things out.
 
The Norse scored six more in the fifth and four in the sixth to open an 11-0 lead.
 
Lauren Vitiello got Parkside on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run home run. Her team-leading third round-tripper made it 11-2. The Norse came back to record the last two outs to end the game in six innings.
 
The Rangers finished with four hits in the opener, three of which went for extra bases. Diana Gordon and Natalie Shank each added doubles.
 
Game Two (Box Score)
Parkside showed no ill-effects from the opener threatening nearly every inning before finally breaking through in support of Kleinmeyer.
 
They put two on in the first and loaded the bases in the third but couldn't get a run in. They did cross the plate in the fifth thanks to a clutch hit by Kirsten Luevano.
 
Gordon drew a one-out walk before Colleen Cummings bunted her to second. The Norse elected to intentionally walk Vitiello to put two on with two out. Luevano made them pay with a single up the middle to score Gordon and give the Rangers the lead.
 
Kleinmeyer faced her biggest jam of the day of the sixth as NKU loaded the bases with two away. But the Ranger hurler took care of business getting the strikeout to end the threat and maintain the lead.
 
The Rangers added some insurance in the sixth. Shank singled to start the rally and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Ashley Nowdomski. Sporer cashed in the run with a double to right.
 
Kleinmeyer helped her own cause with a double to the gap to make it 3-0. She then closed things out with a perfect seventh to earn her second win of the year. She allowed four hits and struck out six while not walking a batter.
 
Luevano finished the nightcap 2-for-2 with an RBI. The Rangers outhit the Norse 7-4 in the game.