Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Somers, Wis.- John Perszyk's one-out hit in the bottom of the seventh inning helped the UW-Parkside Baseball team salvage a doubleheader split with visiting Kentucky Wesleyan College by winning game two, 7-6. Kentucky Wesleyan claimed the opener, 7-5. Parkside is now 8-10 in the GLVC (10-18 overall) while the Panthers moved to 5-14 in the conference (11-18 overall).

Game One
Kentucky Wesleyan took a first inning they would never relinquish. They scored three unearned runs in the inning after the leadoff hitter reached on an error. The Panthers took advantage with a double, a sacrifice fly, and a two-out hit to complete the rally.

"We got off to a really bad start," said Head Coach Joel Weaver. "We made some mistakes on some easy plays and it kind of carried over the rest of the way."

The Rangers got a run back in the bottom half. Kirk Haviland drove in John Brennan with a two-out hit to get Parkside on the board.

KWC put up single runs in the second and sixth to make it 5-1. Luke Garmon tripled and scored on a wild pitch for the run in the second. Luis Mila's RBI-single in the sixth stretched the lead again.

Parkside rallied in their half of the sixth to cut into the lead. John Perszyk delivered a two-out RBI but the Rangers left two runners in scoring position to end the threat.

They threaten to turn things around again in the eighth but had their rally thwarted again. Two hits and an error loaded the bases with one out. Perszyk got his second RBI on a walk to cut the deficit to two. But Rob Bellish hit a one-hopper back to the mound that turned into a 1-2-3 double play and end the frame.

Each team added two-run ninth inning homers to complete the scoring. Dave Lojeski hit his eighth of the season for Parkside.

Lojeski led the offense with four hits and three runs score. Haviland had two hits and Brennan reached base four times.

Offensively the Rangers shot themselves in the foot on a few different occassions. A runner missing a base, another getting thrown out trying to advance, the bases loaded double play, and some other missteps let to a tough opener.

"It was definitely frustrating," said Weaver.  We were really forcing things and trying to make plays that weren't there. We cause a lot of the bad things that happened."

Game Two
Kentucky Wesleyan started game two the same way they ended the opener. Jordan White launched a two-run home run to put the Panthers out in front.

Parkside cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first. Anderson walked to start the game and went to third on a stolen base and errant throw. Corey Stonelake singled him in with a liner up the middle.

The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the fourth when the Rangers grabbed their first lead of the day. Lojeski walked to start the inning and moved to second on an infield hit by Taylor Schwarz. Bellish then came through with a base hit to left with the runners on the move to tie it at two.

Alex Zarek followed with a base hit to left that scooted under the glove of the outfielder allowing Schwarz to score. Mike Anderson added another run with a two-out single to make it 4-2 in favor of the Rangers.

"That entire inning we were able to do the things we do well offensively," said Weaver. "We did a good job executing and got things rolling."

The Rangers continued to build on that lead in the fifth when Stonelake singled and moved to third on a hit by Schwarz. After Schwarz stole second, Bellish bounced a hit through the left side, scoring two, and making it 6-2.

Kentucky Wesleyan came back in the sixth to get within a run. Jon Wandling's RBI-double drove in White for the first run of the inning. Logan Neal followed with an infield hit that glanced of Schwarz's glove allowing a run to score. Neal tried to advance to second on the play and was thrown out, but the run-down allowed Wandling to score and make the score 6-5.

The Panthers pushed the tying run across in the seventh to extend the game. With two outs and runners on the corners, White ripped a hard grounder past Lojeski at first to knot the score.

That set the stage for the Ranger heroics. Stonelake led off the inning with double to right on a ball that carried off the fence to put the winning run in scoring position. After a strike out, Persyzk delivered the game-winner, a shot off the right-field wall, scoring pinch runner Zach O'Haver and ending the game.

"John came up with a great at-bat when we really needed it," said Weaver. "He has able to drive the ball and do his job."

Schwarz got the victory in relief after coming on for starter, Jack Olson. Stonelake had three hits and an RBI while Bellish went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in. Schwarz also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored.

"Jack gave us a great outing," said Weaver. "His numbers don't necessarily show it but I thought he did a good job allowing us some time to get going on offense and stay within striking distance."

"I was happy we didn't dwell on that first loss," added Weaver. "We responded pretty well and played much cleaner in that second game."

The Rangers and Panthers are scheduled for another doubleheader on Monday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Oberbruner Field.