Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Somers, WIs.- The UW-Parkside Baseball team opened its' home schedule Saturday with a pair of losses to Saint Joseph's College. The Rangers rallied late in game two to bring the winning run to the plate but were unable to get over the hump, falling 7-5. The Pumas won game one, 22-4. Parkside is now 5-3 in the GLVC and 6-11 overall. St. Joe's improves to 16-7-1 overall and 9-1 in the conference.

“We gave ourselves a chance to win it (in game two),” said Head Coach Joel Weaver. “We could have quit when they got up on us early … but we gave ourselves a shot.”

In game two the Pumas got things going in the opening inning as the first three hitters came around to score. They added a solo home run in the second and two more in the third to build a 6-0 lead.

John Brennan helped get the Rangers on the board in the bottom of the third when he led off with a triple. Mike Anderson drove him in with a sac fly to make it 6-1.

It would remain that way until the sixth when St. Joe's got a run in the top before the Rangers began their charge. Dave Lojeski led off with a double and Corey Stonelake followed with an infield single. Kirk Haviland then singled to left but the ball was booted, allowing pinch-runner Rob Bellish to score.

After a pitching change, Taylor Schwarz came up with an RBI-single to make it 7-3. Two batters later Ben Korman knocked in another run with a ground out. Pinch-hitter Brad Liermann came up with a clutch two-out hit to finish the rally and cut the deficit to 7-5.

Nick Mishevich snuffed out a Puma rally in the seventh to give the Rangers a chance to win it. They put the tying runners on in the bottom half of the frame but Ed Schlueter got Schwarz swininging to end the threat and secure the win for St. Joe's.

“Our bullpen did a good job of coming in and keeping us in the game,” said Weaver. “We dug too big of a hole and we just couldn't finish it.”

Brennan and Haviland each had two hits in game two for Parkside. Alex Zarek absorbed the loss; his second of the season.

St. Joe's offense was too much for the Rangers in game one. The Pumas scored in all but two innings as they pounded out 17 hits. Their top four hitters collected 10 hits, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored.

The Pumas scored three in the first, two in the second, and two more in the third to build a 7-2 lead. The Rangers fought to get back in it in the third inning. They loaded the bases with one out and had a chance to cut into the deficit but Neil Hudson retired the next two hitters to end the threat. From there St. Joe's bats exploded scoring eight runs in the fifth and seven more in the sixth. The Pumas capitalized on a strong wind blowing out to right field to help their already potent lineup.

The Rangers did have 13 hits of their own in game one but left 10 runners on base. Anderson, Lojeski, Haviland, Schwarz, and Korman all had two hits. One of Lojeski's hits was his fourth home run of the year.

Parkside and St. Joseph's are scheduled to do it all over again on Sunday. Game one is set to star t at noon at Oberbruner Field.