DANVILLE, Ill. – The No. 5 ranked Parkland College Softball team secured the NJCAA DII Region 24 regular season title with two wins over Danville Area Community College on Sunday, April 23rd. The Cobras (41-9) (16-0) remained undefeated in conference play, taking down the Jaguars (26-17) (8-4) for the third and fourth time this season to extend their win streak to seven straight games. The visitors defeated DACC 8-0 in game one before taking a 6-3 win in game two, as freshmen Karley Yergler (7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 K) and Ryleigh Owens (3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) both earned wins on the road.
Up next, the Cobras head north for a long-awaited matchup with No. 13 Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois, on Tuesday, April 25th. The rescheduled top-20 doubleheader against the Eagles (33-8) is scheduled for 3:00 PM on Tuesday.
Game 1: No. 5 Parkland College 8, Danville Area Community College 0
Parkland got going in the top of the 1st inning when second baseman Emma Mason (3-4, 3 RBI) drove in Ryleigh Owens (3-4, RBI, R) and Lizzie Stiverson (2-4, 2B, 2 R) with an RBI single to take an early 2-0 lead. The Cobras added to the lead in the top of the 4th, as Karley Yergler (1-4, 2B, 2 RBI) lined a 2-RBI double to right field to kickstart a 5-run inning. Outfielder Katy Hendricks proved Parkland an insurance run with a pinch-hit RBI in the 7th, and the Cobras won 8-0.
Freshman Karley Yergler (19-7) struck out 11 batters in a 7-inning complete game shutout on Sunday, allowing just one hit in the bottom of the 4th inning.
Game 2: No. 5 Parkland College 6, DACC 3
The Cobras struck first in game two, taking a 1-0 lead on a solo home run from third basemen Bri Roloff (1-4, HR) in the top of the 2nd inning, but the Jaguars knotted the game again with a run in the bottom of the 3rd. Parkland finally broke the tie in the top of the 6th with a pair of RBI triples from outfielder Katy Hendricks (1-2, 3B, 3 RBI, R, BB) and shortstop Lizzie Stiverson (1-4, 3B, RBI, R), giving the Cobras a 6-1 lead. Danville got two runs back in the bottom of the 7th, but the late rally fell short, and Parkland won 6-3.
Starting pitcher Ellie Vetter (3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, BB, 3 K) faced 14 batters in her 18th start this season, and freshman Ryleigh Owens (10-1) got the win after relieving Vetter in the 4th inning. Freshman Karley Yergler earned the save in her second appearance of the day, entering the game for the final out on Sunday evening.
