The Parkside baseball program enters the 2026 season with momentum, after a successful 2025 campaign that saw the program reach their highest win total since 2005.
The Rangers will open the 2026 season on February 13 in Florida, facing St. Leo University at 4 p.m. (CT), beginning a challenging early-season road slate that will test the Rangers before GLIAC play begins. It's a fitting start for a program that continues to push forward under Head Coach Zac Charbonneau, who enters his fourth season at the helm having firmly established a new era of Parkside baseball.
Parkside is coming off one of the most successful in recent history. The Rangers finished the 2025 regular season at 30–19, their highest win total since 2005, and paired that success with one of the most productive offensive seasons the program has ever seen. Parkside posted a .310 team batting average—sixth best all-time—while scoring 360 runs, the second-most in program history. Since Charbonneau took over prior to the 2023 season, Parkside has ranked among the top ten seasons in school history in hits, doubles, home runs, and runs scored each year.
That production returns in large part for 2026. The Rangers bring back multiple key contributors from a lineup that led the GLIAC in on-base percentage (.401), ranked third in runs scored, second in batting average, and second in doubles a season ago. Freshman standout Josh Wicker returns after a strong debut campaign in which he hit .340 over 46 games, finishing fourth on the team with 49 hits while adding eight doubles. Also back are Dylan Sayles, Carter Storti, and Angel Rades, all of whom hit better than .300 in 2025 and played significant roles in the Rangers' offensive success.
While Parkside's offense has garnered attention, continued progress on the mound will be a focal point in 2026. Now in his fourth season as pitching coach, Aaron Cusimano has overseen steady improvement from the Rangers' staff. Parkside recorded four shutouts last season, and under Cusimano the team's ERA in GLIAC play has dropped by more than three runs. Returning pitchers accounted for over 170 innings of work last year, providing a strong foundation as the staff looks to take another step forward.
Leading that group is Leo Berger, the former GLIAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year, who returns for the 2026 season. Berger posted a 1.61 ERA over 28 innings during his freshman campaign in 2024, recording five saves and establishing himself as a reliable late-inning presence. Parkside also added a large and talented recruiting class, featuring 10 freshmen along with several transfers, all of whom are expected to compete for meaningful innings throughout the season.
The Rangers will spend the first month of the season on the road, traveling through Florida, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois before returning home for their home and GLIAC opener against Wayne State on March 20. Historic Simmons Field will once again serve as home base for Parkside, as the program continues to build on its tradition and recent success.
All home games and GLIAC contests will be streamed on FloCollege during the 2026 season, with Dominick Liacone as the primary play-by-play voice for Rangers home broadcasts. Fans can find links to live coverage throughout the season at ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
