KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Truman State went head-to-head in a four-game series against Wisconsin-Parkside at Bulldogs Baseball Park, winning one of four contests over the February 20-21 weekend. The Bulldogs now sit at 4-4 overall on the season.
Parkside 4, Truman 3
Truman dropped a tightly contested opener despite grabbing the early momentum.
Junior shortstop Oliver Degenhardt led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run to left field to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs added to their advantage in the fourth when freshman Joey Fentress executed a sacrifice bunt that scored freshman Nick Steurer, extending the lead to 2-0.
Parkside evened the game in the fifth on a two-run home run by St. Clair.
Truman briefly regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Tyler Towe lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that scored freshman Jax Markham, making it 3-2.
The Rangers answered in the sixth when Lindquist singled and advanced to second on an error, allowing Kirchberg to score an unearned run and tie the game 3-3. Parkside later pushed across the go-ahead run in the inning to secure the 4-3 win.
Degenhardt finished 1-for-3 with a home run and RBI. Steurer added a hit and scored a run.
Senior left-hander Isaac Epp took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) over five innings.
Truman 9, Parkside 6
The Bulldogs responded with a big offensive performance in the nightcap.
After Parkside scored an unearned run in the first, Truman answered immediately. Degenhardt singled and later scored on a groundout by senior Tyler Tieman to tie the game 1-1.
Parkside regained a 2-1 lead in the third before Truman evened the score in the fourth on an RBI double from junior Evan Davis that plated Fentress.
The game turned in Truman's favor during a decisive fifth and sixth inning stretch.
In the fifth, Towe scored on a wild pitch to give Truman a 3-2 lead. Steurer followed with an RBI single to score junior Colin Mueth, and Tieman delivered a two-run double that brought home both Steurer and Degenhardt to extend the lead to 6-2.
The Bulldogs continued to add on in the sixth. Degenhardt drew a bases-loaded walk to score sophomore Gavin Schieffer, Steurer reached on an error that allowed Towe to score, and Tieman capped the rally with a sacrifice fly that plated Mueth, pushing the lead to 9-3.
Parkside made things interesting in the seventh with a three-run triple by Mrowiec caused by evening darkness with play being subsequently resumed Saturday morning. However, the Rangers went down quickly once play resumed and Truman held on for the 9-6 victory.
Tieman drove in four runs, while Steurer collected a run scored and an RBI. Degenhardt reached base multiple times and scored twice.
Junior Jack Pearson earned the win in relief, and junior Hayden Holman closed the door in the seventh.
Parkside 9, Truman 0
Parkside took the series lead behind an early offensive surge.
Stiefer doubled home the first run in the opening inning, and Lindquist later reached on an error that allowed another run to score for a 2-0 lead.
Parkside added a run in the fourth on an RBI single by Hanel. The game broke open in the fifth with an RBI single from Stiefer followed by a three-run home run from Mrowiec to make it 7-0.
Two additional runs crossed in the seventh on an RBI single and a wild pitch.
Mueth and Steurer recorded Truman's two hits in the shutout loss.
Sophomore Nick Phillips was charged with the loss.
Parkside 8, Truman 5
The Bulldogs jumped out early but couldn't hold off a late Rangers rally.
Parkside struck first on an RBI double by Lindquist in the top of the first.
Truman answered with three runs in the bottom half. Steurer singled home Mueth to tie the game. Fentress followed with an RBI single to score Tieman, and later Tieman crossed the plate on a throwing error during a stolen base attempt to give Truman a 3-1 lead.
The Bulldogs extended the lead to 4-1 in the third when Tieman reached on an error that allowed Degenhardt to score.
Parkside responded in the fourth. St. Cclair scored on a balk before Storti delivered a two-run single to tie the game at 4-4.
The Rangers took control in the sixth. Miller scored on a wild pitch, Maciejewski doubled home two runs, and Loyd reached on a play that resulted in another unearned run, pushing the lead to 8-4.
Truman added one final run in the seventh when Steurer singled to left center to score Degenhardt, but the comeback fell short.
Steurer led the Bulldogs with two hits and two RBIs. Fentress added two hits, and Degenhardt tripled and scored twice.
Junior Ian Junkin took the loss in relief.
Series Notes
Nick Steurer had a strong weekend at the plate, driving in multiple runs and collecting hits in three of the four games. Tyler Tieman powered the offense with key extra-base hits and five RBIs across the series. Oliver Degenhardt provided a spark at the top of the lineup with a leadoff home run and several run-scoring opportunities.
Truman State will look to build on its 4-4 start as the Bulldogs continue non-conference play next weekend against Southwest Minnesota State with a double header starting at noon on both Friday and Saturday.
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