KENOSHA, Wis. - Despite a spirited comeback that brought the Rangers crowd to life, Parkside couldn't complete the rally, falling 9-6 to Saginaw Valley in a GLIAC showdown on Friday afternoon. 

The Rangers found themselves in an early hole after a five-run fourth inning by the Cardinals , but refused to go down quietly. Powered by a three-hit performance from Peter Fusek and a clutch three-RBI day from Josh Wicker, Parkside clawed back into the game with a six-run surge between the fourth and seventh innings.

Jack Decker earned the win for Saginaw Valley, but not without resistance from the Rangers' bats. Parkside tagged Decker for four earned runs over six innings, highlighted by a two-run double from Sam Mommer in the sixth to pull the Rangers within striking distance at 6-4.

Wicker continued his scorching stretch at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI singles, including a key knock in the seventh that brought Parkside within three. Max Johnson added a pair of runs, and Dylan Sayles chipped in with a single and a run scored during the Rangers' mid-game surge.

On the mound, Allen Leitner took the loss for Parkside, allowing six runs (five earned) over five innings. Despite some early issues, Leitner kept the Rangers within reach before giving way to Charlie Campbell and Austin Grube out of the bullpen.

Grube delivered three strong innings in relief, allowing just one run and striking out three to help keep the door open for a comeback. But the Cardinals' bullpen duo of Jordan Lewis and Jake Shelagowski held off the Parkside rally, with Shelagowski locking down his ninth save of the year with a three-strikeout ninth.

Defensively, the Rangers were hindered by four errors—uncharacteristic miscues that extended multiple innings for Saginaw Valley. Still, the offense nearly bailed them out, racking up 11 hits in the contest.

Parkside and Saginaw Valley State are back in action tomorrow. The twin bill is slated to begin at 1:00 PM. For coverage of the event, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.