NEW ULM, Minn. – Northwestern College had another successful day at the ball park on Saturday, winning its third and fourth consecutive Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) games with a doubleheader sweep of Martin Luther College. The Eagles held off a late push by the Knights to win Game 1 by a 9-6 score before early runs in the second game gave NWC an 11-7 victory.

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

Bryan McCallum (Rogers, Minn./Rogers) had his best outing of the season on the pitcher's mound as the senior threw eight strong innings, allowing just one run along the way. McCallum struck out five Martin Luther batters while getting plenty of run support from the Eagles' bats. Northwestern was the first team on the board as the Purple and Gold scored three runs in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Cody Kielsa (Howard Lake, Minn./Rogers) earned a run batted in on a fielder's choice. Taylor Kauweloa (Kailua, Hawaii/Damien Memorial) then tripled to center field to bring Kielsa and Zach Markwith (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Louis) home.

After Martin Luther scored its first run of the game in the sixth frame, Northwestern responded with back-to-back three-run frames in the seventh and eighth. An Andy Peterson (Rogers, Minn./Rogers) double in the seventh led to RBIs from Lance Lebaron (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) and Taylor McMurray (Vadnais Heights, Minn./Totino-Grace) before Kauweloa hit another extra-base hit in the eighth prior to an RBI triple from McCallum.

The Knights scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Eagles tipped their caps to McCallum. Unfortunately for NWC, the frame took a bit longer than planned, but after two hits and a pair of errors committed, Benjamin Jenney (Albertville, Minn./Maranatha Christian) got the last couple outs to preserve the four run victory.

Much like he had against Minnesota Morris on Friday afternoon, Markwith was good for another multiple hit game on Saturday. Markwith finished 2-5 in the batter's box with two runs scored. Peterson earned a pair of RBI with his own 2-4 performance, much like Kauweloa's line that included two hits and RBIs.

Northwestern's bats continued to stay hot into the second game of the twin bill as the Eagles out-hit their opponent 18-12 en route to a four-run win. Seven of NWC's nine batters in the lineup had at least two hits, playing an important part of the Eagles' three-run first and second frames.

McMurray's three-hit game started right away as his leadoff hit in the first inning led to Northwestern's first run of the game. Lebaron picked up credit for the other two RBIs as his single brought in Kauweloa and Markwith. It was Kielsa's turn to bring some runs home in the second frame. With the bases loaded, Kielsa doubled to left field before Kauweloa's sacrifice fly brought Markwith in for the second consecutive inning.

Both Northwestern and MLC scored one run in the third and a two-run fifth put some pressure on the Eagles, who then led 7-3. NWC wasn't about to let its lead slip away as evidenced by four runs over the course of the final four innings of the game. Peterson pulled through with a two-out, two-RBI triple to center in the sixth frame to keep the buffer intact.


On the hill, Markwith threw for the first six innings of Game 2, allowing five runs from the 30 batters he faced. Isaac Meredith (Robbinsdale, Minn./Armstrong) then finished the final three frames on the hill, striking out two batters along the way.

Now 9-12 overall and 4-2 in UMAC play, the Eagles will take a couple days off before getting back on the diamond on Tuesday, April 30 after Monday's continuation of the Feb. 21 Metrodome game against Hamline was moved to May 7 due to a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference scheduling conflict with the Pipers. The Eagles will head west to face Crown College on Tuesday with hopes of continuing their recent UMAC success. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Watertown, Minn.