Somers, WIs. – Behind Mike Nicks' eighth complete game of the season, the UW-Parkside baseball team earned a split with nationally ranked Northern Kentucky University on Saturday afternoon at Oberbruner Field. Nicks tossed a three-hitter in a 7-1 game two victory as he tied the school record for complete games in a season. The Norse captured game one, 4-3.
 
NKU, ranked 18^th in the National College Baseball Writers of America poll and 29^th in the Collegiate Baseball poll, is now 22-8 in the league and 29-15 overall. The Rangers moved to 10-20 in the GLVC and 17-26 overall.
 
The two teams will face off again on Sunday in a noon doubleheader. It will also be Senior Day for the Rangers as UW-Parkside honors its eight seniors playing their final home games. Pregame ceremonies will begin at 11:30 a.m.
 
Below are recaps of Saturday's games.
 
Game One (Box Score)
The Rangers and Norse traded zeros for the first five and a half innings as Parkside's Ryan Windt and NKU's Mike Nastold dueled in cold and rainy conditions. Other than a first inning double by Corey Stonelake, neither team put together a significant threat until the Rangers broke through in the sixth.
 
Cody Gilles singled to start the inning and Mike Anderson walked to put two on. Eric Abel laid down a sacrifice bunt the throw to first was dropped allowing the run to score and Abel to get to second. After an out, Ben Korman delivered a big hit up the middle to drive two in and make it 3-0.
 
The Norse came back quickly to tie it by scoring three in the top of the seventh. A chopper up the middle and blooper to center, followed by a walk, loaded the bases. Josh Myers then put NKU on the board with a single but a perfect throw from center from Mike Anderson nabbed the second runner at the plate. Jake Morris followed with a bouncer to the right side that was thrown away allowing the tying run to score. Alex Rejniak pitched out of the rest of the inning to keep the game tied.
 
NKU was able to push the go-ahead run across in the ninth. After a pair of walks, Brad Clement had a seeing-eye single through the right side to put the Norse in front, 4-3.      
 
The Rangers got a leadoff walk from Stonelake in the ninth but were unable to move him as Brett Loeding closed out the game for NKU.
 
Windt got the no-decision going 6 2/3 innings giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits. He struck out four and walked three.
 
Korman led the offense going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
 
Game Two (Box Score)
The Rangers once again struck first in the opener with a pair of runs in the second inning. Taylor Nehls led-off with an infield single and promptly stole second base. Anderson quickly brought him in with a base hit and advanced to second on the throw home.
 
After Anderson stole third base, Abel bounced to second base, driving in the run to make it 2-0.
 
Nicks faced his only danger in the fourth when the Norse got their run. Two hits and an error loaded the bases before Myers was plunked to force in a run. Nicks induced an inning-ending ground ball to third to get out of the frame still up a run.
 
That allowed the Rangers to put things away in the fifth. Parkside scored five runs in the inning on five hits to build a 7-1 lead.
 
A walk and singles by Kirk Haviland and Korman loaded the bases with nobody out. A fielder's choice followed with the Norse forcing the runner at the plate for the second out.
 
As it looked like NKU might get out of trouble, Stonelake hit a high chopper to third base and hustled down the line to beat the throw and drive in the run. A clean single to right by Chris Glynn made it 4-1 and extended the inning.
 
That's when Nehls delivered the dagger, ripping one just inside the bag at third for a three-run double. That swing gave Nicks plenty of support as he looked to finish another start.
 
He obliged by retiring the last ten Northern Kentucky batters he faced. Jake Morris' fly ball to right ended the game and tied Nicks with Brandon Kellbach (2004) and Pat Sura (1995) for the most complete games in a season in Ranger history.
 
Nehls led Parkside's seven-run attack going 2-for-3 with three RBI. The Rangers left just one runner on base in the ball game.