EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Senior
Jake Kolasinski went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in, including a key two-run double in the eighth inning, leading Wisconsin-Parkside to an 8-7 victory over McKendree in game one of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader earning the Rangers a split on Monday at the Simmons Complex.
After Sunday's games were cancelled due to weather, the teams played a pair of seven-inning games on Monday. McKendree bounced back to win the nightcap 8-6 on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to notch a split of the two games.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning of game one when
Troy Bittenbender hit a sacrifice fly that brought home
Andrew Luscomb who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, but McKendree bounced back to take the lead by scoring three times in the bottom of the third inning.
Wisconsin-Parkside, which is 16-20 overall and 10-12 in the GLVC, began its comeback in the fourth inning when it rallied to tie the score.
Nick Janssen walked to lead off the frame and
Domenic Hammudeh, who had three hits, singled to right putting runners on first and third with no outs. With two outs and runners on second and third,
Zach Thompson roped a triple to centerfield which brought home Janssen and Hammudeh and tied the game at 3-3.
The Rangers then took a 5-3 lead by scoring two times in the top of the seventh inning. Thompson, who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, singled to lead off the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch.
Kyohei Makita ripped a double to right that scored Thompson giving Wisconsin-Parkside a 4-3 lead. Kolasinski upped the lead to 5-3 when he followed with a double that plated Makita giving the Rangers an insurance run.
But Wisconsin-Parkside would need both runs, as McKendree tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Matt Walsh hit a two-out, two-run single to tie the game at 5-5.
The Rangers wasted little time in regaining the lead for good. Hammudeh singled to right to lead off the eighth inning and advanced to second when
Trent Muscat laid down a sacrifice bunt. Luscomb put the Rangers ahead to stay when he doubled home Hammudeh for a 6-5 lead. Kolasinski again appeared to add on insurance runs when he doubled to center to bring home Luscomb and Thompson, who walked, to increase the lead to 8-5.
It proved to be just enough as McKendree scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning before
Kyle Schulz closed the door on the Bearcats by getting Brad Groleau to fly out to end the game.
The Rangers had 11 hits in game one lead by Hammudeh, Kolasinski and Thompson. Makita also had a pair of hits, while Janssen and Luscomb each had one hit for the Rangers.
McKendree, which is 13-20 overall and 2-20 in the GLVC, rallied to win game two by scoring five times in the bottom of the fifth inning and then getting the walk-off homer.
Wisconsin-Parkside banged out 15 hits in game two, but left 12 runners stranded. Thompson was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and Luscomb went 3-for-4, while Makita, Janssen and Hammudeh each added two hits. Kolasinski,
Max Widmar and Muscat all had base hits in game two.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning of game two when Thompson hit an RBI fielder's choice which brought home Janssen with the first run of the game.
After McKendree tied the game in the bottom of the second inning, Wisconsin-Parkside regained the lead in the third inning when Hammudeh hit an RBI single to score Kolasinski giving the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
Wisconsin-Parkside upped the lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Widmar hit a two-run single that scored both Thompson and Makita.
The Rangers pushed the lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth inning when Thompson laced an RBI single to center, but the Bearcats rallied to take the lead by scoring five times in the bottom of the fifth inning.
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Muscat got the Rangers even when he delivered a homer to straight away centerfield to tie the game at 6-6.
The Bearcats would respond when Andrew Aydt hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Wisconsin-Parkside will close out the regular season on Friday and Saturday (May 5-6) when it hosts Bellarmine for a pair of GLVC doubleheaders. Both doubleheaders will begin at 12 p.m. at Oberbrunner Field.
