WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Max Widmar went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in, but a ninth-inning rally fell short as Wisconsin-Parkside dropped an 8-6 non-conference decision to Cedarville on Tuesday at the Grand Park Complex.

The Rangers entered the ninth inning trailing 8-5, but would score a run and put the tying runs on base in their final at bat.

Kyohei Makita led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a groundout and the Rangers proceeded to load the bases with one out when Widmar walked and Nick Janssen reached on an infield single.

Zach Thompson plated Makita when he lifted a sacrifice fly to center, but the rally ended when Yellow Jacket reliever Sean Masiakiewicz worked out of the jam by inducing a groundout to end the game.

Wisconsin-Parkside, which dropped to 6-8 on the season, also got two hits each from Jake Kolasinski and Janssen. Kyle Schulz, Troy Bittenbender, Thompson and Bryan Wade all added base hits for the Rangers and Makita, Janssen, Thompson and Wade also drove in runs.

Mason Martin posted his third consecutive scoreless relief appearance for the Rangers as he worked 1.1 innings and allowed one hit. In his last three appearances, Martin has pitched 5.0 innings and struck out three batters and has not permitted a run.

Cedarville, which improved to 4-9 on the season, got two hits each from Connor Culhane, Marshall Johnson, Jaden Cleland and Eli Sanchez. Markus Neff drove in two runs for the Yellow Jackets with a first-inning double.

Cedarville scored three times in the first inning, aided by the two-run double by Neff, to take an early lead.

Wisconsin-Parkside answered with a run in the top of the second inning. Kolasinski roped a double to left to begin the inning and advanced to third when Widmar followed with a single to left.

After Widmar was caught trying to steal, Janssen singled to center to score Kolasinski and cut the Yellow Jackets lead to 3-1. The Rangers would load the bases later in the inning, but another caught stealing ended the threat.

Cedarville responded with a run in the bottom of the second inning, but the Rangers would add a run in the top of the third inning.

Schultz opened the frame by reaching on an error and moved into scoring position by stealing second base. He advanced to third on a strikeout and came around to score when Makita grounded out to first cutting the lead to 4-2.

Cedarville pushed the lead to 6-2 with two runs in the sixth inning, but Wisconsin-Parkside used a three-run seventh inning to get right back into the game.

Bittenbender reached on an infield single to begin the inning and advanced to second base on a groundout. Kolasinski doubled to center to move Bittenbender to third and both runners came around to score when Widmar singled to right to bring the Rangers to within 6-4.

With two outs, Thompson extended the inning by drawing a walk and Wade lined a single to right to score Widmar to trim the lead to 6-5.

Cedarville then tacked on two crucial runs in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Joey Chapman and a sacrifice bunt by Ross Melchior.

Wisconsin-Parkside returns to action on Saturday (March 25) when it hosts Lewis in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. to open Great Lakes Valley Conference play.