Northwestern-Bethany Lutheran Box Score
Northwestern-Northland Box Score

DULUTH, Minn. – Thursday's debut at the 2012 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Baseball Tournament wasn't exactly what Northwestern College was planning on as the Eagles were shut out by Bethany Lutheran College 9-0. NWC kept itself in the running with a 7-3 win over Northland College in the 4 p.m. elimination game to stay alive in the tournament.

Northwestern posted just three hits in its first game against Bethany Lutheran, the first of which didn't come until the fourth inning. The Eagles had two runners on base in both the fourth and the fifth, but neither opportunity panned out. Meanwhile, Bethany, who already owned a 3-0 lead, scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth frame to go up 5-0.

The bleeding stopped for awhile until a Vikings spree in the eighth did NWC in. Bethany had only two hits in the inning, but an Eagles error combined with two walks and two more hit batsmen stretched the frame far too long, and Northwestern was quickly facing the 4 p.m. elimination game.

Tyler Campion (Robbinsdale, Minn./Maranatha Christian) pitched all nine innings for the Eagles, throwing over 160 pitches in the process. The senior was charged for seven earned runs, striking out seven while allowing six walks and 11 hits.

The Eagles found themselves down again to start the 4 p.m. against Northland College. Northwestern had some defensive hiccups in the third inning, including two throwing errors, that allowed the LumberJacks to score three runs. NWC settled down in the bottom half of the frame, scoring its first run of the game with the bases loaded.

Northwestern wasn't phenominal with the bases juiced throughout the contest, as the Eagles scored just two runs in three bases loaded innings, two of which came with no outs. By the sixth inning, NWC had tied the game at three runs apiece with Josh Balzer (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) finding his groove on the mound. Bryan McCallum (Rogers, Minn./Rogers) had one of his three hits to lead off the fourth inning, doubling to left center before scoring on a David Joseph (Kimball, Minn/Kimball) RBI single through the left side. McCallum scored again in the sixth, knotting the score on Andy Peterson (Rogers, Minn./Rogers)'s sacrifice fly.

The Eagles took advantage of some free bases in the seventh inning, taking a definitive first lead with four runs. After Andy Haagenson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley) walked to start the inning, Cody Kielsa (Howard Lake, Minn./Rogers) hit a no-doubter home run over the left field wall off of the LumberJacks' new pitcher, Shane Ellias. Monte Abeler (Upsala, Minn./Upsala) and Peterson followed with RBIs, and Balzer cruised on the hill for the rest of the way for a 7-3 victory.

Balzer went all nine innings, throwing 124 pitches, 80 of which were for strikes. The junior wasn't charged for any earned runs, striking out five while allowing eight hits.

Staving off elimination and an abrupt end to the 2012 season, Northwestern will return to Wade Stadium on Friday with a win-or-go-home mentality again as the Eagles have to win to stay in the tournament. Friday's first pitch against Thursday's 7 p.m. winner between the College of St. Scholastica and Bethany Lutheran is scheduled for 1 p.m.