Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Game Reaction: Cory Larson

ST. PAUL -- The Northwestern College baseball team earned a pair of victories over Martin Luther on Good Friday to improve to 11-9 overall and 5-1 in UMAC play. Cory Larson (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) pitched a gem in the first game, a 7-0 win, while the Eagles played small ball to earn a 3-1 victory in Game 2.

In the first game of the day, Northwestern scored runs in four different innings while Larson worked on the mound. NWC's first run came in the second inning, when Andy Peterson (Rogers, Minn./Rogers) scored following some heads-up base running. After singling to lead off the inning, Peterson advanced to third base on a fielding error by Martin Luther's center fielder before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Andy Haagenson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley).

The Eagles added three runs in the next frame, taking advantage of two costly errors by the Knights. With the bases loaded, David Joseph (Kimball, Minn/Kimball) singled to left field to bring home Cody Durkee (Wilton, N.D./Wilton) before Monte Abeler (Upsala, Minn./Upsala) followed with a single of his own to score Taylor Kauweloa (Kailua, Hawaii/Damien Memorial). Northwestern found some favor on the next play, as Ethan Nichols (Brainerd, Minn/Brainerd) hit a ground ball to third base with the bases loaded. Brad Essig, Martin Luther's third baseman, came home to get the force out, but catcher Aaron Stokke's foot was off the plate, allowing Peterson to score before the Eagles grounded out to end the inning in the next at-bat.

Up 4-0 after three innings, NWC added another run in the fourth as Cody Kielsa (Howard Lake, Minn./Rogers) tripled to left center to start the frame. Two batters later, Kielsa scored, with Zach Markwith (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Louis) earning an RBI. The Eagles weren't done scoring for the game yet, as Northwestern tacked on two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to ensure the seven-frame victory. A fielding error allowed Nichols to score while Markwith recorded another RBI as Haagenson crossed the plate.

Kielsa had three of the Eagles' seven hits in the game, with Markwith and Haagenson each collecting two RBI. Larson, meanwhile, yielded just five hits while striking out eight of the 29 batters he faced.

Game 2 was a completely different story as Northwestern had to battle back from a 1-0 deficit late in the game to earn the victory. Martin Luther's Andrew Nemmers and Peterson, NWC's starter, were locked in a pitcher's duel as both continued to excel on the mound. The Knights scored first on a two-out throwing error by the Eagles and the lead remained until the fifth inning.

With Haagenson and Nichols on first and third, Northwestern Head Coach Dave Hieb called for the delayed double steal, and it worked to perfection. Haagenson stole second before Nichols earned home plate on the play to tie the game. Haagenson then advanced to third base on a wild pitch before a Josh Hanson (Plymouth, Minn./Maranatha Christian) single through the left side brought in the Eagles' second run of the game to give NWC the lead.

Joseph proved that walks will haunt in the bottom of the sixth, as his leadoff base on balls resulted in an Eagles' run when Nichols reached first base on a fielding error.

Martin Luther threatened to score in both the top of the sixth and seventh innings, making Peterson sweat a little on the hill. Consecutive singles from Stokke and Galen Holzhueter gave the Knights two on with no outs in the sixth before Peterson earned a strikeout, foul fly out and a groundout to end the inning. In the seventh, Martin Luther poked three straight one-out hits through the left side of the infield to load the bases before Peterson got Stokke to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

The Knights scattered 12 hits on Peterson but scored just once while the sophomore earned five strikeouts. At the plate, Northwestern was only able to muster five hits of their own. Hanson finished 1-2 in the batter's box while recording the Eagles' only RBI of the second game.

The same two teams will be back in action on Saturday to finish the three-game series. Martin Luther and Northwestern will kick off one nine-inning game at 12 Noon. Tyler Campion (Robbinsdale, Minn./Maranatha Christian) is expected to be the Eagles' starting pitcher.