FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bill Boppre, Sports Media Assistant
 
Game One Box Score
 
Game Two Box Score

Miami Shores, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2016)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside baseball team split their first doubleheader of the season against Barry University after being edged out in the opening game 8-9, but coming back in the nightcap winning 5-3 at Feinbloom Field.
 
After seeing double digit hits for both teams in the first match up of the year on Friday, game one of the doubleheader saw more of the same.  The Rangers (1-2) did not waste time in the first inning where leadoff batter Troy Bittenbender started the game off with a double to right-center, and then proceeded to steal third base.  Troy was able to score on a single by Juan Bowers.  The Buccaneers (7-2) also scored one in the first off of an RBI double.  Bittenbender came up again in the second inning and hit an RBI double of his own to score Zach Thompson.  Barry University kept the scoreboard humming by adding three more runs in the bottom of the second, and led 4-2.  Bowers earned two more RBI's in the third for Parkside, after hitting a double down the left field line and scoring two of his teammates.
 
Game one starting pitcher for the Rangers was Mario Samuel.  With the score still tied 4-4 going into the bottom of five, Samuel was chased from the mound after throwing 100 pitches and earning three additional runs, giving the Bucs a 7-4 lead.  The Green and White were able to get two runs back in the next inning off of a two-run double from Jake Kolasinski.  Barry University scored one more run in the seventh, and the UW-Parkside manufactured two runs to tie the game in the eighth.  The game stayed tied until the bottom of the tenth, where relief pitcher Cody Rolshoven (0-1) sat down the first two batters of the inning, but the Buccaneers were able to score after two singles and two consecutive walks to steal the opening game 9-8.
 
After playing a three hour and fifty minute opening game, the Rangers showed no signs of quitting in game two.  The Rangers started out the game with a little small ball, and scored Troy Bittenbender from third with a sacrifice squeeze bunt from Kyohei Makita.  The Bucs would take the lead by scoring runs in the third and fifth innings on RBI triples, giving them the 3-1 lead going into the sixth.  In the top of the sixth, Parkside would get one run back after Zach Thompson singled up the middle scoring Bobby Neylon from second. 
 
The Rangers trailed 3-2 going into the seventh and final inning.  Leadoff batter Nick Sramek reached first with a base-on-balls, and then advanced to second after Bittenbender laid down a sacrifice bunt on the next pitch.  Redshirt junior, Ryan Fischer tied the game with an RBI double to right.  Makita then singled, putting runners on the corners.  With only one out, Jake Kolasinski sent a sac fly to center field, scoring the runner on third, while Makita moved up to second, giving the Rangers the 4-3 lead.  After a Barry University pitching change, Neylon hit an RBI double giving Parkside a 5-3 lead. 
 
Now trailing, the Buccaneers gave Ranger's starting pitcher, Nate Stolte (1-0), a run for his money in the final inning of the game.  The Bucs were able to load the bases after two singles and an intentional walk, and had only one out.  Stolte was able to get the next batter to strikeout, one of his eight in the game.  The last batter fouled out to the third to give Nate the complete game victory, 5-3.
 
The Rangers look for an even split in the four-game series against Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla. when they take the field Sunday, with the opening pitch scheduled for 12pm CST.