SOMERS, Wisc. --- For the second straight day, the Bellarmine University softball squad split a doubleheader on the road, falling late to Wisconsin-Parkside 4-3 in the opener before crushing the Rangers 8-3 in game two.

Game 1: Wisconsin-Parkside 4, Bellarmine 3

The host Rangers rallied with one out in the bottom of the seventh to steal game one away from the Knights. Natalie Shank provided the walk-off single with a runner on third after Lauren Vitiello tied the game up at 3-3 with a two-run double to the left center gap.

Bellarmine got on the board first as Megan Murdoch found space in right centerfield to bring home two runs in the top of the third inning. The Knights tried to extend their lead in the fifth, but left the bases full when Hannah Daunhauer grounded out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Wisconsin-Parkside's Ashley Nowdomski pulled the Rangers within 2-1 on a fielder's choice to pitcher Alicia Miller to bring Shank home from third.

Lauren Summe scored in the top half of the seventh for Bellarmine, crossing home plate thanks to an error by Nowdomski. The Knights stranded a pair of runners in the inning though, leaving nine on base during the game.

Miller struck out Lexi Sotiros to start the bottom of the seventh, but gave up back-to-back hits to Diana Gordon and Colleen Cummings to put runners on second and third with one out. Vitiello's double brought home both runs to ignite the Parkside rally. Pinch-runner Kira Cooper moved to third on a fly out by Kirsten Luevano, and scored on Shank's single up the middle.

Miller(10-11) pitched 6.2 innings in the losing effort, striking out four and surrendering 10 hits. Kelynn Sporer(2-10) earned the win after giving up three unearned runs.

Box Score

Game 2: Bellarmine 8, Wisconsin-Parkside 3

A six-run second inning in which Bellarmine batted through the order left no doubt about the outcome in game two with the Rangers.

Coach Renee Hicks shook up the batting order, placing Summe in the leadoff spot and Murdoch in the two hole. The power-hitting Murdoch responded by going 3-5 from the plate, including a solo homer in the first to take a 1-0 advantage.

Junior Casey Cleary started the scoring barrage in the second, bringing home Erin Sireno from third on a fielder's choice to the shortstop. Cynthia Brown then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Cleary into scoring position at second with two outs. Bellarmine then reeled off five straight hits, resulting in five runs to take a commanding 7-0 lead after two innings.

Wisconsin-Parkside managed to get within 7-3 in the bottom of the second, getting a three run home from Nowdomski, but Amanda Meyer(11-6) gave up only two hits and a walk the rest of the way to shut down the Rangers' hope of another comeback. The senior from Harrison, Ohio gave up five hits and three earned runs over 7.0 innings of work to get the win.

Bellarmine added on their eighth run in fifth as Scarlett Powers easily reached home from third on a errant throw to second trying to catch Brown stealing.

Box Score

Bellarmine returns to action on Tuesday with a midweek doubleheader against instate rival Northern Kentucky.