KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The Truman softball train continued to roll along on Saturday as the team welcomed Wisconsin-Parkside to town for the first day of the 2017 GLVC slate. The Bulldogs smashed four home runs on the day and got some timely pitching to sweep the Rangers thanks to scores of 5-2 and 7-3.

Truman has won 13 of its last 14 to improve to 19-9 overall and 2-0 in league play, while Wisconsin-Parkside has been on the short end in five straight to fall to 4-14 on the year, including 0-2 in conference action. For the twinbill, Christa Reisinger continued her red-hot play with four hits in seven at-bats while Kadie Orenstein and Alyssa Rivera each chipped in three hits to go 3-for-6 and 3-for-7, respectively.

In the first game, the Rangers were on the board first with an RBI single in the top of the first, but the Bulldogs wasted no time delivering a counterpunch. In the home half of that inning, Jamie Fowle went deep to left center for a two-run home run, her first blast of the season and eighth of her career. After the visitors tied it back up at 2-2 with a solo shot in the top of the fourth, the home team had the answer again, this time with an Orenstein RBI double to right center.

The Bulldogs kept the Rangers to those two runs, but tacked on two more of their in the sixth when Van Nostrand went yard to left center (pictured) and pinch-runner, Michaela Mooney, scored after Valerie Schmidt's flyout to right thanks to an error by the third baseman on the throw back in.

Nicolette Simpson (9-4) got the start for the hosts and continued to impress. The junior transfer went 5.1 innings and gave up two earned runs on six hits with no walks and one strikeout. After Wisconsin-Parkside put runners on first and second with one out in the top of the sixth, Alyssa Hajduk came on in relief and went to work to earn her fifth save. Hajduk tossed the final inning and two thirds with only one hit allowed, no free passes and one punchout.

In the nightcap, Truman trailed for much of the game including 2-0 through one inning, 2-1 after three and 3-2 through five. The Bulldogs' first run crossed the plate when Rivera went deep over the center-field fence, her team-leading fifth blast of the year, and the second run came in when Schmidt singled in Van Nostrand.

Trailing 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Truman took the game over with a five spot. Van Nostrand went deep with a three-run bomb to left and Orenstein doubled in a pair with a base knock to right center. That makes 23 career home runs for Van Nostrand and that mark is good for sole possession of seventh place in program history.

Hajduk got the start for game two, but lasted just 1.1 innings with two earned runs surrendered. In relief, Lauren Dale (9-3) shut it down with the final 5.2 frames, one earned, no walks, and four strikeouts.

The Bulldogs are home again on Sunday for a doubleheader against Lewis with first pitch in game one set for 12 p.m. from Truman Softball Park.

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