PARKSIDE 7, NORTHWOOD 6
Justin Bennett hit a walkoff solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Parkside baseball an exciting 7-6 win over Northwood Sunday afternoon. With the win, Parkside and Northwood split the series at Historic Simmons Field, the first home series for the Rangers this season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Northwood grabbed the early lead against the Parkside starter Hunter Weddel, going up 1-0 in the top of the first inning. The Rangers came back to grab a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second as Dominic Esposito drove in Noah Tyrrell, Shawn Rigsby drew a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch plated a run as well, with all three runs coming in unearned after a Timberwolves error in the inning.
 
A Northwood solo home run made it 3-2 in the third, but Parkside added two more runs in the bottom of the third thanks to a Ricky West RBI groundout and a Niko Diaz RBI single. Bennett drove in Diaz in the bottom of the sixth to give the Rangers some insurance with a 6-2 advantage. Northwood battled back however, tying the game at 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning, which set the table for Bennett's walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth. 
 
STATWORTHY
Northwood outhit the Rangers 13-7, but were also charged with a pair of errors. Bennett finished 2-for-5 with his second home run of the season, two RBI and a run while Diaz went 3-for-4 with two runs. Rigsby, Esposito and West also had RBI's.
 
Weddel had a good outing for the Rangers, going 6.0 innings allowing five hits, two runs and three walks with two strikeouts. Jake Macaluso came in to earn the win, pitching the final inning scoreless.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Parkside will head to Allendale, Mich., for a four-game series at Grand Valley State next weekend. The Rangers return home on April 19 and 20 with doubleheaders against Wayne State.