Somers, Wis. – The UW-Parkside softball team finished its Great Lakes Valley Conference home schedule by dropping a pair of games to Lewis University on Wednesday afternoon. The Flyers took game two 3-0 after claiming the opener 11-2.
 
The Rangers will be back home next Tuesday (Apr. 24) for the season finale; a doubleheader against Saint Xavier University. Game time at the Case Softball Complex is set for 3:00 p.m.
 
But first, Parkside will finish up GLVC play with two doubleheaders this weekend. They'll head to Southern Indiana on Saturday afternoon before wrapping the trip on Sunday at Kentucky Wesleyan.
 
Below are recaps of Wednesday's games against the Flyers.
 
Game One (Box Score)
The Flyers struck immediately with three first inning runs against Kelynn Sporer. Michelle Vucsko hit a three-run homer to get Lewis off to a fast start.
 
Parkside got one right back in the bottom half as Ashley Nowdomski (walk) and Colleen Cummings (single) reached to start the inning.
 
Lauren Vitiello then hit a towering pop-up for an infield fly but due to the wind and bright sun the ball dropped. That allowed Nowdomski to scoot to third with one away. Kirsten Luevano then brought her home with a bunt, catching the Flyers off-guard as no one was available to cover first.
 
Lewis responded with four more runs in the second and four unearned tallies in the third.
 
The Rangers scored one in the third on a sharp single through the right side by Vitiello. That plated Nowdomski who had reached on an error.
 
From there both sides tossed shutouts from the circle to maintain the 11-2 final.
 
Cummings went 2-for-3 in the contest. Vitiello and Luevano recorded the other Ranger hits.
 
Game Two (Box Score)
After two scoreless innings to start the contest, the Flyers broke through for a run in the third. A sacrifice fly by Lauren Hanford scored Jayme Hefler to make it 1-0.
 
They added another run in the fourth as the Rangers defense committed an error to keep the inning alive. Jessica Rourke made them pay with a base hit to plate their second run. They tacked on another unearned run in the seventh to account for their third score of the game.
 
The Rangers were unable to extend any rallies offensively. They got the leadoff batter on in four of the seven innings, including hits by Bridget Walters and Lexi Sotiros, but couldn't move anyone past second.
 
Kristin Kleinmeyer was solid in the circle for Parkside, scattering seven hits in her seven innings of work. Just one of her three runs allowed was earned.