---Evan McDole hit a pair of home runs and accounted for all three runs driven in as the Norse dropped Game 1 to Wisconsin-Parkside, 6-3.

By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information

Game 1 box score | Game 2 box score

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team suffered a setback today in dropping a pair of key Great Lakes Valley Conference divisional games against Wisconsin-Parkside. The Rangers took Game 1 by a 6-3 score before winning the nightcap, 5-2.

Evan McDole was a monster for the Norse (17-12, 6-2 GLVC East) in Game 1, hitting two home runs on the first three pitches he saw to drive in all three runs for NKU in the game. The tide turned in the fourth inning, however, when Parkside’s Dave Watson’s RBI-single was followed by Kurt Wiegartz’s two-run triple to give the Rangers (3-22, 3-5 GLVC East) their first lead of the day at 4-3.

Andy Heller gave the Rangers some insurance in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run double. Nic Larson came in relief of UWP starter Chris Hoffman to close the door in the seventh inning and pick up his first save of the season. Eric Braeckel (0-1) pitched two innings of relief, giving up three runs in the loss.

Game 2 was a story of opportunities squandered as the Norse stranded eight runners on base, leaving the bases loaded in the ninth inning of a 5-2 loss.

McDole got the scoring started for the Norse once again in the fourth inning, singling to bring home Brett Hofmann, who had three hits, including two doubles, to lead NKU in Game 2. Two RBI-singles and a sacrifice fly gave Parkside an effective response in the bottom half of the frame.

Max Colaner cut the two-run lead in half with an RBI-single in the top of the fifth inning, scoring Jason Cisper, but the Rangers continued to push the lead during their turn at-bat with RBI-singles from Robert Belish and Brad Lierman.

The Norse looked for an answer, and had runners in scoring position in each of the game’s final three innings, but failed to get a run home.

Cisper and Shannon McCormick each came through with two-hit performances on the game as the Norse scattered 10 hits across the game. On the mound, Travis Klostermann (1-4) got the win, striking out four Norse, while Larson got his second save of the day and of the season. Jarrett Casey (1-2) took the loss, giving up five runs, two of them earned, in five innings of work.

The Norse hit the road on Wednesday to take on GLVC West leader Southern Indiana in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.