The Forest Park Rangers were locked in a tight pitching battle Thursday night but came up short in a 3-1 loss to Castle. Forest Park struck first in the opening inning when Jared Burger delivered an RBI single to give the Rangers an early 1-0 lead. Castle answered in the second inning by tying the game on a fielder’s choice before taking the lead an inning later on a two-run home run. Despite the loss, the Rangers continued to battle offensively against one of the area’s top pitching staffs. Forest Park finished with six hits in the game, with Cohen Hoppenjans, Burger, and Cam Lueken each collecting two hits. On the mound, Hudson King turned in another strong performance for the Rangers. The senior worked all six innings, allowing just three runs while keeping Forest Park within striking distance throughout the night. Both teams played clean baseball defensively and runs were difficult to come by for most of the game. Castle’s pitching staff recorded 10 strikeouts and limited scoring opportunities after the first inning. Forest Park will look to bounce back Friday as the Rangers travel to Perry Central.