OXFORD, Ala. –No. 8 seed Parkland Softball (52-7) opened play in the 2021 NJCAA DII Softball Championship with an extra-inning, 5-4 win over No. 9 seed Murray State College (Okla.) (40-11).
 
Reagan Cheely (4-5, 2B, 2 RBI) opened the scoring for Parkland with a 2-run double in the bottom of the first inning, and, one batter later, she was knocked in by a Lizzy Davis (3-4, 2B, RBI) single. The Cobras maintained a 3-0 lead through three innings.
 
Murray State tied the game at three in the fourth inning on three hits, two walks, and a passed ball. The Aggies had the bases loaded but could not take the lead.
 
In the fifth, Murray State pulled ahead, 4-3, on a lead-off home run, and looked to have control of the game.
 
Parkland continued to battle. Down to its last out, in the bottom of the seventh, with runners at first and second, Taylor Dugger (2-4, 2B, RBI) hit an RBI-double, tying the game at four and forcing extra innings.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Cheely hit a lead-off double and, three batters later, Lauren Kavanagh (1-4, RBI) hit a walk-off single, sending Cheely home as the game-winning run for Parkland.
 
Anna Walker (2-5, 2B) and Chayse Ramey (2-3, 2B) each contributed a pair of hits as the Cobras outhit Murray State, 14-4.
 
Ramey (27-3) threw nine innings and earned the victory for Parkland. She allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits and five walks while striking out ten.
 
With the win, the Cobras will now play the No. 1 seed Phoenix College (Bears) (40-1) on Wednesday, May 26, at 2:00 pm.