Local colleges: Parkside gets swept by SIU-Edwardsville

Thursday, March 29, 2007 2:17 AM CDT

Journal Times staff

Maybe there is something to this homefield advantage theory.

Originally scheduled to play Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville at home Wednesday in a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader, the UW-Parkside baseball team agreed to switch sites for the games because of the threat of inclement weather for the southeastern Wisconsin region.

Playing at Roy Lee Field in Edwardsville, Ill., the Rangers were swept in the doubleheader, losing the first game 3-0 and the second game 2-1.

In the opener, the Rangers (12-12, 7-7 GLVC) were shut out on six hits by pitchers Gerad Bryan and Patrick Keller.

Edwardsville (14-7, 9-5 GLVC) scored all of its runs in the fourth inning with the help of an error, two wild pitches and three walks. Daniel Thomson's RBI single scored the first run, Zach Stead scored on a wild pitch and Brent Rynearson scored on a bases-loaded walk.

Starter Shaun Corning, who was charged with all three runs, took the loss. Corning allowed seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, walked four and struck out one. Nicholas Larson relieved Corning with the bases loaded and two outs, walked Ryan Czyz and retired Ben Bartley on a fly ball.

Parkside threatened in the seventh, putting runners at second and third with two outs, but Casey Garms grounded out to end the game.

In the second game, Parkside took a 1-0 lead in the second on Brad Frank's one-out home run. But the Cougars rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth on Czyz's one-out, two-run double.

Starter Andy Yushta took the loss. Yushta allowed just one hit in 5 1/3 innings, but gave up two runs. He walked two and struck out four. Brandon Aikens pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing three hits.

Adam Tallman allowed just one hit - Frank's home run - in a complete-game effort for the Cougars. He didn't walk a batter and struck out 11.

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