JOPLIN, Mo. --
Zach Thompson drove in three runs and
Connor Cunningham pitched six strong innings leading Wisconsin-Parkside to a 6-5 victory over Missouri Southern State on Sunday at Turner Field.
The win gave the Rangers a split of the season opening four-game series against the Lions. Wisconsin-Parkside won the opener of the series along with Sunday's game, while Missouri Southern State won both ends of Saturday's doubleheader.
Wisconsin-Parkside, which improved to 2-2 on the season, built a 6-2 lead on the strength of a three-run sixth inning and then held off the Lions for the win.
Thompson was 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI to lead the Ranger offense.
Max Widmar had a base hit and drove in two runs, while
Kyle Schulz,
Kyohei Makita,
Nick Janssen,
Trent Muscat and
Andrew Luscomb each had base hits for Wisconsin-Parkside.
Jake Kolasinski also drove in a run for the Rangers along with Thompson and Widmar.
Cunningham pitched six strong innings on the mound to earn the win. He went 6.0 innings and allowed five hits and just two earned runs and struck out three batters.
Keaton Kastberg came on in the ninth inning to get the final out and pick up his second save of the season.
The Rangers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Schulz led off the game with a base hit and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He reached third base on a groundout by Makita and came in to score when Thompson singled to left giving Wisconsin-Parkside a 1-0 lead.
Missouri Southern State scored single runs in the bottom of the first and third innings to take a 2-1 lead.
Wisconsin-Parkside rallied to tie the game in the top of the fourth inning. Janssen singled to right to lead off the inning and moved into scoring position by stealing second base. Widmar then roped a double to right that plated Janssen and tied the game at 2-2.
The Rangers took the lead for good with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Wisconsin-Parkside loaded the bases on walks to Thompson, Kolasinski and Janssen and Widmar hit an RBI groundout that scored Thompson and gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead.
Wisconsin-Parkside extended the lead to 6-2 on the strength of a three-run sixth inning.
The Rangers loaded the bases with no outs when Luscomb and Schulz were hit by a pitch and Makita reached on a bunt single. Thompson delivered a two-run single that scored Luscomb and Schulz and pushed the Rangers lead to 5-2.
Wisconsin-Parkside made it 6-2 later in the inning when Kolasinski lofted a sacrifice fly to left that brought home Makita.
The Lions made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning by scoring three runs, but Kastberg came in to strike out Todd Hinkley with the tying run on first base.
Wisconsin-Parkside will return to action on March 4 when it visits Truman State for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
