Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 1 Parkland College Softball team opened postseason play with two convincing victories over Lincoln Land Community College at home in the Region 24 Tournament on Thursday, May 2nd. The Cobras (54-4) cruised past the Loggers (16-34) in game one, 16-0 in five innings, before finishing the sweep in a 9-1 win in six innings in game two. Parkland outhit Lincoln Land 24-10 across the doubleheader, as sophomore Emma Mason led the team with 6 RBI on Thursday, and starting pitchers Karley Yergler (28-2) and Ellie Vetter (19-2) both earned wins in the series sweep.

"It was a great start to our postseason with two wins tonight," Co-head coach Dan Paulson said Thursday. "We came out swinging the bats well, and our pitching and defense was strong. We executed our bunts and were able to steal some bases."

With the win in game one over the Loggers, co-head coaches Dan Paulson and Kristi Paulson earned their 200th career win at Parkland College. The two currently boast a .788 winning percentage (201-54) since taking over the Cobras Softball program in the fall of 2020.

"It's nice to hit 200 as a staff. Kristi, Stacey, and I have been together for all of them, and we give all the credit to our athletes," Paulson said of the achievement. "We are extremely thankful to have the opportunity to coach this group and the groups before them."
 
Up next, Parkland advances to the NJCAA DII Central District Championship beginning next weekend on Friday, May 10th, at the Parkland College Softball Field. Opponents and game times are still to be determined.
 
Game 1: No. 1 Parkland College 16, Lincoln Land Community College 0 (5 innings)
 
The Cobras grabbed an early lead in the bottom of the 1st inning on a 2-out bases-loaded walk, and Emma Mason (1-2, 2 RBI, R, BB) lined a 2-RBI single up the middle to go up 3-0. In the 2nd, Mia Ruder and Alisha Frederick (1-2, 2 R, BB) scored on a throwing error before Karley Yergler (1-3, HR, 2 RBI) crushed a 2-run home run to put Parkland up 7-0. Later in the inning, Ryleigh Owens scored on an error, and Ruder (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB) lifted a 2-RBI double to shallow left field as the Cobras took an early 10-0 lead.
 
Parkland added to the lead in the 3rd with a 2-RBI double from Owens, scoring pinch-runners Kallie Evans and Katie Clark, and Owens (2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB) scored on an error for the second time to make the score 13-0. The Cobras knocked in three more runs in the bottom of the 4th and closed out the 16-0 win in five innings in game one.
 
Starting pitcher Karley Yergler (4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K, BB) threw four innings of shutout ball before Ryleigh Owens (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 K) finished the game in the circle.
 
Game 2: No. 1 Parkland College 9, Lincoln Land Community College 1 (6 innings)
 
The hosts opened the scoring on an RBI single from Karley Yergler in the bottom of the 1st, and Parkland powered ahead 5-0 on an Emma Mason (1-3, HR, 4 RBI) grand slam later in the inning. The Loggers loaded the bases in the top of the 2nd, but starting pitcher Ellie Vetter got a crucial three-pitch strikeout to hold them, and the Cobras added the lead with an Alisha Frederick sacrifice fly in the bottom half.
 
Lincoln Land broke through in the top of the 3rd to trim the deficit to 6-1, but Parkland put another run on the board on a Yergler (2-2, 2 RBI, R, BB) RBI single in the bottom of the 4th. The score remained at 7-2 until the bottom of the 6th when Frederick (2-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) lifted a game-ending 2-run home run over the right field fence, and the Cobras took the 9-1 win in game two on runs.
 
In the circle, Vetter (6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB) struck out eight batters in a six-inning complete game.