Highland Heights, Ky. – The UW-Parkside softball team suffered a pair of tough-luck defeats on Saturday against Northern Kentucky University. They received great pitching from Kelynn Sporer and Kristin Kleinmeyer but fell 2-1 and 2-0 (8 innings).
 
The Rangers wrapped up a weekend trip against two of the league's best teams at 0-4 with three of the games being decided in extra innings and the other by one run. Sporer and Kleinmeyer combined to allow just seven earned runs over the four games as both continue to throw well.
 
Parkside will take a break from Great Lakes Valley Conference play with a non-conference doubleheader at Judson on Wednesday. They'll be back home next weekend for a pair of doubleheaders. Saturday against Indianapolis will be the team's annual Pink Game with raffles, silent auctions, and t-shirts for sale. Proceeds benefit cancer research.
 
Game One (Box Score)
The Norse took an early lead scoring a run in the second on a two-out double. The Rangers offense sputtered in the first four innings before tying it up in the fifth.
 
Natalie Shank singled, as did Ashley Nowdomski, to start the rally. After a strikeout, Cecie Portilla ripped one to center to score Shank and make it 1-1.
 
NKU answered in the bottom half with three straight singles to load the bases with one out. An infield fly earned the second out but all runners were able to advance allowing the go-ahead run to score.
 
The Rangers tried to get it back in the sixth when Nowdomski singled with a runner on. Unfortunately the Norse were able to cut down the runner going to third to end the inning.
 
Portillo walked with one out in the seventh but was unable to advance as NKU picked up the win.
 
Nowdomski picked up two of the team's five hits in the opener. Sporer tossed a complete game striking out five and allowing two earned runs.
 
Game Two (Box Score)
In game two Kleinmeyer was locked in but Alex Caudill was also able to keep the Rangers off the board. Parkside out-hit the Norse 6-4 in the contest but NKU was able to secure the sweep.
 
The Rangers left runners in scoring position in five straight innings but couldn't push the winning run across. Portillo singled to start the fifth and Lexi Sotiros bunted for a hit with one away. But two straight outs ended the threat.
 
They threatened in the sixth and seventh when Lauren Vitiello and Portillo both doubled to lead-off. Unfortunately both were left at third with the final out.
 
Kleinmeyer, who allowed just two hits through the first seven innings, couldn't quite finish things off. A bunt single started the eighth, and after a strikeout, Emily Schwaeble hit a two-run home run to end the game.
 
She pitched 7 1/3 innings while allowing just two runs on four hits. She struck out three and walked one.
 
Portillo was 2-for-3 for the offense.