Elgin, Ill. – The UW-Parkside softball team let a late lead get away in game two as Judson University recorded a doubleheader sweep on Wednesday night. The Eagles scored three runs in the sixth to take a 3-2 win. The home team also claimed the opener, 5-2.
 
The Rangers will return home for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheaders this weekend. Saturday's noon start against second-ranked Indianapolis will be the program's annual pink game in support of breast cancer awareness. There will be raffles, silent auctions, and t-shirts for sale with proceeds benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
 
Below are recaps from Wednesday's doubleheader at Judson.
 
Game One (Box Score)
The Eagles came out flying high scoring three first inning runs against Hayley Schneider in the first. Judson got three doubles in the first four batters to build the early advantage.
 
Parkside got one back quickly in the second. Kirsten Luevano doubled to left field to start the inning. Natalie Shank wasted no time driving her in with a base hit down the left field line.
 
Judson pushed it back to 4-1 in the bottom of the inning after a Ranger error led to an unearned run.
 
Once it again it was Shank who keyed a Ranger rally in the third. She used a two-out hit to drive in Colleen Cummings who had singled earlier in the inning. That made it 4-2 after two-and-a-half innings.
 
The Eagles used three hits in the fourth inning to add to their lead once again. A single with runners at the corners made it 5-2 in favor of the home team.
 
Parkside threatened in the six in an attempt to get things tied up. With one out Shank lined her third single of the game. Bridget Walters reached on an error and Ashley Nowdomski singled to load the bases. But the Eagles were able to coax a 5-2-3 double play to get out of the inning and quell the rally.
 
After holding the Eagles scoreless in the bottom half the Rangers were retired in order in the seventh to end the game.
 
Shank led the way going 3-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in. Ashley Nowdomski finished 2-for-3 at the dish.
 
Game Two (Box Score)
Despite being limited to four hits in the nightcap, the Rangers were in strong position to get a victory. They scored right away in the first to grab the lead. Nowdomski walked with one way and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Lauren Vitiello ripped a double to right to drive her in and make it 1-0.
 
Vitiello added a run all by herself in the third. She launched a two-out home run, her fifth of the season, to give Parkside a 2-0 advantage.
 
It stayed that way until the sixth when the Eagles made their comeback. The Rangers committed a pair of critical errors, leading to two of the runs being unearned against Kristin Kleinmeyer. The last error allowed the go-ahead run to score to give Judson a 3-2 lead.
 
Jessica Norton led off the seventh with a double as Parkside tried to tie things up. She moved to third on the second out but was stranded there when the game ended.
 
Kleinmeyer took the loss allowing three runs, with just one earned, in six innings. She didn't walk a batter and struck out one.
 
Vitiello finished with three of the Rangers four hits. She was 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.