Wisconsin-Parkside demonstrated Saturday why it is in first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference baseball race.
        The Rangers swept past the COugars 4-1 and 9-3 on a day when the Cougars re-dedicated the field with the latest improvements. The stirring pregame presentation didn't seem to bother Wisconsin-Parkside, which used speed and timely hitting to drop the Cougars. The Rangers improved to 29-13 and 20-8 in the GLVC while the Cougars fell to 12-28 and 9-18.
        SIUE pitcher Ron Jones suffered his first loss in the opener by allowing four runs on just five hits. He struck out eight.
        The Cougars' bats were near silent in game one with four hits. Wes Pickering broke up Wisconsin-Parkside pitcher Matt Anderson's no-hitter in the fourth inning.
        In the nightcap, the Rangers jumped on SIUE starter Kyle Jones for four runs in the first six innings. SIUE reliever Jameson Sheley surrendered a three-run homer to Wisconsin-Parkside's Tim Baum in the seventh inning.
        The two teams return to Roy Lee Field on Sunday with a noon start to their doubleheader.
                -siue cougars-