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Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Apr. 23, 2016)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside baseball team came up short on Saturday against Great Lakes Valley Conference nemesis University of Illinois Springfield, falling 14-11 and 6-2 to the hosts at the UIS Baseball Field.
 
The opener was a slugfest with the two squads combining for 30 hits and 25 runs. The host Prairie Stars (22-16, 10-8 GLVC) got things started with three runs in the first and one more in the second before the Rangers (7-27, 2-16 GLVC) pushed across three runs in the third and five in the fourth inning to seize an 8-4 lead.
 
Illinois Springfield reestablished its lead in the bottom of the fourth, piling on five runs to take the 9-8 edge. A Zach Thompson sacrifice plated Nick Sramek to tie the game in the fifth but UIS added five runs across the sixth and seventh frames to take a 14-9 lead.
 
Troy Bittenbender blasted a two-run home run in the ninth inning, clearing the left center field fence but a UIS was able to induce a groundout to the next batter to secure the 14-11 win.
 
Bittenbender finished four-for-six at the dish while Thompson and Kyle Schulz both had three hits in the afternoon.
 
Matt Skarzynski was hit with the loss, striking out four over the final 3 2/3 innings. Illinois Springfield's Gavin Collins secured the win, striking out six in four innings of middle relief.
 
In the nightcap, Illinois Springfield surged out to an early lead after collecting four runs in the opening stanza. UW-Parkside got on the board in the fifth inning with Juan Bowers drawing a walk with the bases loaded to plate Bittenbender.
 
UIS pushed across two more scores in the bottom of the fifth, staking a 6-1 edge before a Schulz sacrifice fly brought in Lovell Chandler in the sixth inning for what turned out to be the final run of the contest.
 
Mario Samuel struck out four in the losing effort, pitching all six innings. Max Biedrzycki and Dan Pacha combined for a one hitter, striking out eight in the seven inning affair.
 
The Rangers and Prairie Stars finish off the series on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.