Minneapolis, Minn.- The UW-Parkside baseball team opened up its 2012 campaign by splitting a pair of games with 22nd-ranked Winona State at the Metrodome. The doubleheader began at 10:00 p.m. on Friday night and ran into the wee hours of the morning on Saturday. The two teams will do it again Saturday night at 10:00 p.m.

Game 1 (Box Score)
The Rangers wasted no time getting out in front to start the 2012 season. John Brennan opened the game with a bunt single and stole second with one away. After a strikeout, newcomer Cody Giles laced a run-scoring single to make it 1-0 Rangers.

Winona came right back with two in the bottom of the first. Cody Strang had a two-run double off of Ryan Windt to give the Warriors the lead.

Parkside in the second on a Brennan groundout. Eric Abel, who had walked and stole second, was able to score thanks in part to a Ben Korman sacrifice.

The score remained knotted until the fourth when the Rangers took the lead for good. Korman came through with a big two-out single to score Taylor Nehls who had walked and stole second. Brennan followed that up with a ringing double to plate Korman for a 4-2 lead.

They tacked on two more in the fifth to take control. Corey Stonelake singled to start the inning and Giles followed with a two-run blast to make it 6-2

Windt made it stand up allowing a pair of harmless two-out singles the rest of the way. He yielded just five hits in his seven-inning complete game effort. He didn't walk a batter while striking out seven and limiting the Warriors to one-extra base hit.

Brennan finished with three hits and two RBI. Giles provided the pop from the clean-up spot going 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Game 2 (Box Score)
In game two the Rangers struck early again thanks to Brennan. He reached on a error to start the game, stole second, and immediately came around to score on a Chris Glynn single.

Mike Nicks and John Wenker matched zeroes until the fifth when Winona State pulled ahead. Brett Young's blooped to center fell in between three Rangers for a one-out double. Nate Van Roekel drove him him with a home run to give the Warriors the lead. They had three, two-out hits to score two more and make it 4-1.

The Rangers rallied in the seventh putting the tying run on base.

Korman singled with two outs and moved to second when Brennan walked. Glynn then cut the deficit to two with a single against reliever Jamie Soyk.

Soyk came back though to strike out Stonelake to end the game.

Nicks absorbed the loss giving up four runs in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five without allowing a walk. Jacob Chandler came on in relief to retire all four batters he faced.

Glynn led Parkside at the plate going 2-for-4 with two RBI. The Rangers had six hits in game two.