MORRIS, Minn. -- Playing in a rare Sunday doubleheader, the Northwestern College baseball team split the twin bill with the University of Minnesota, Morris, winning 6-0 before losing 5-3.  A sweep for either team would have had a big impact as the two teams will most-likely be vying for the fourth and final spot in the UMAC Tournament in May.

In Game 1, pitcher Mark Meredith (Robbinsdale, Minn./Armstrong) (Golden Valley, Minn./Armstrong) threw a gem, hurling all seven innings, striking out 11 in the process.  While Meredith was busy mowing down Cougar batters, the Eagles scored all six of their runs within the third and fifth frames.  Austin Adamson (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) scored the game's first run when Taylor Kauweloa (Kailua, Hawaii/Damien Memorial) (Kailua, Hawaii/Damien Memorial) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  When Josh Markwith (Honolulu, HI/Kalani) (Honolulu, Hawaii/Kalani) reached on an error by the second baseman in the next at-bat, Mike Sharp (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) crossed home plate.

After Nick Jones (Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata) (Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata) notched an RBI in the fourth inning, NWC continued to pour on the offense in the fifth.  Once again, Jones had the big bat, recording two more RBI on a single through the right side that scored Monte Abeler (Upsala, Minn./Upsala) (Upsala, Minn./Upsala) and Brady Erickson (Chisholm, Minn./Chisholm) (Chilholm, Minn./Chisholm).  One batter later, Adamson scored Andy Borud (Grand Marais, Minn./Cook County) (Grand Marais, Minn./Cook County) on an RBI single.

While Neil Arvold didn't have his best performance on the mound for Minnesota Morris, the Cougars defense didn't help him get outs any quicker as the home team committed four errors.

Sharp had three hits in the game, while Jones' two hits drove in three runs. Borud also had a two-hit performance at the plate.

A four-run first inning propelled Minnesota Morris to a 5-3 victory in the second contest of the day as the Eagles ran out of time at the plate.  NWC's Josh Balzer (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) got roughed up in the first frame, giving up five hits in six batters.  The sophomore settled down on the rubber after that, but one run in the first and two more in the fifth were all the Eagles could come up with in the loss.

Borud had another two-hit game at the plate while Markwith finished 2-4 with an RBI. After Balzer went five and one-third innings, Cory Larson (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) finished the final two outs, striking out one of the three batters he faced.

After the split, Northwestern found themselves 10-12 overall and 7-4 in UMAC action.  The Eagles are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, April 19 when Bethel University is slated to face NWC in a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader at Reynolds Field.