GODFREY, Ill. – Parkland softball came back to win game two and earn a split of a Tuesday doubleheader at Lewis & Clark. With the split, the Cobras' record moves to 19-11.
Earning her fourth win of the season, Mendenhall needed just 102 pitches to get through seven innings. Completing seven innings for the first time since her first start of the season, the sophomore hurler stuck out seven batters, her most since her win over St. Cloud Tech.

Recording five hits between the two games, Summer Johnson drove in two runs and scored three more. Of her five hits, two were of the extra-base variety. Both coming in game two, Johnson drove in runs with a double and triple.

Hitting the lone Cobra home run of the day, Bri Poehler launched her fourth homer of the season to give the Cobras the lead for good in game two.
Up next, the Cobras return home to host No. 19 Illinois Central for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Thursday, April 11.

Game 1: Parkland 4, Lewis & Clark 6

Parkland started off hot with a big two-out rally to start the game. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Coffey laced a double to put the Cobras out in front. Continuing the rally, Kirbie Mendenhall and Maddie Quattro RBI singles to double the lead.

After the offense led a second scoring opportunity in the third – bases loaded with no one out – slip away, the Cobra defense made two errors in the bottom of the third in a three-run inning by Lewis & Clark. The Trailblazers then tied the game in the following inning when a throwing error set up a game-tying sacrifice fly.

Still tied in the bottom of the fifth with Tori Witruk relieving Beckemeyer, a leadoff single and hit-by-pitch were multiplied by a third error and a passed ball to give Lewis & Clark the lead.

Overall, Beckemeyer and Witruk allowed just four hits and two walks over six innings, striking out five.

Parkland threatened in the top of the seventh, putting runners at second and third with two out after an Emma Newton double, but Lewis & Clark snuffed out the rally with a game-ending strikeout.

Game 2: Parkland 8, Lewis & Clark 1

Parkland got the offense going in the third inning after giving up an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Lauren Wendling got things started with a single and then stole second. With one out, Bri Poehler stepped to the plate and launched her fourth homer of the game to give Parkland its first lead of the game.

After Mendenhall struck out the side to end the third, the Cobras doubled their run total with three hits in the fourth inning. After Coffey and Johnson singles to start the inning, Wendling came through with a two-out, two-RBI double.

Another shutdown inning from Mendenhall, Parkland kept building its lead in the fifth with a three-run frame. Poehler led off with a double and then scored on a Coffey single. Coffey then came and around and scored on a one-out Summer Johnson RBI triple. Johnson brought home the third run on an error by the catcher.

Two doubles in the top of the seventh scored Parkland's final run of the game, as Johnson doubled home a leadoff single from Camryn Skundberg.