CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 19 Parkland College Softball (19-2) swept a double header against Sauk Valley CC (0-4) on Wednesday afternoon.
In game one, the Cobras never trailed, pulling away in the fifth inning. In game two, the Skyhawks had the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning but could not extend the game.
Up next, Parkland travels to Canton, Ill., to play Spoon River College for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 27. Game times are 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.
Game 1: No. 19 Parkland- 7, Sauk Valley- 1 (7 innings)
Parkland scored two in the bottom of the first inning when
Anna Walker (1-3) drew a walk and
Summer Johnson (1-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI) followed it up with a home run. Neither team was able to put any more points on the board through four innings of play.
In the top of the fifth, Sauk Valley scored 1 run, but in the bottom half,
Lizzy Davis (1-3) singled and was driven home on a 2-run long ball by
Isabel Shafer (1-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI), putting the Cobras up, 4-1. Then, with two outs, and Walker on first base,
Kaylee Warren (2-3, 1 RBI),
Taylor Dugger (1-3, 1-2B, 1 RBI), and
Eden McAvoy (1-2, 1 RBI) strung together 3 base hits to take a 7-1 lead that would become the final score.
Warren and
Madison Vogel (2-3) each had a pair of hits as the Cobras outhit the Skyhawks, 11-4.
Chayse Ramey (9-0) got the win for Parkland. Ramey surrendered one run on two hits over six innings, striking out nine.
Josie Birch threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.
Game 2: No. 19 Parkland- 10, Sauk Valley- 9 (7 innings)
Sauk Valley scored 2 runs in the first inning, but, in the bottom half, home runs by
Anna Walker (2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI),
Kaylee Warren (1-4, HR, 2 RBI), and
Madison Vogel (2-4, HR, 2 RBI) sparked a two-inning rally that put the Cobras out front, 6-2.
Each team scored 2 in the fourth, but the Skyhawks put up 3 in the fifth to draw within 1, at 8-7.
Parkland scored 2 in the sixth, highlighted by a
Summer Johnson (2-2, HR, 2 RBI) long ball, and built a 3-run cushion. Sauk Valley, however, did not go away easily and threatened in the seventh. The Skyhawks scored two and had the tying run at the plate before a final strike out ended the game.
The Cobras edged the Skyhawks in hitting, 12-10, with
Reagan Cheely (2-4, 2B, 1 RBI) adding a pair and
Taylor Dugger (1-1),
Isabel Shafer (1-3, 2B), and
Ashley Lynch (1-3) each reaching safely one time.
Emily Senjan (4-1) earned the win for Parkland College. The righthander lasted five innings, allowing ten hits and seven runs while striking out four.
Chayse Ramey (2 R, 1 BB, 5 SO) threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.
