Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The University of Northwestern baseball team dropped both of its spring break-opening games against Immaculata University on Friday, losing 6-1 and 8-7 to the Mighty Macs. Being that it was the Eagles' first time on a grass field this season, UNW had a few kinks to work out along the way.

Game 1 was an easily forgettable contest for Northwestern, who committed six errors to make for five unearned runs in the seven-inning affair.  Immaculata scored three runs off of Eagles ace Andy Peterson (Rogers, Minn./Rogers) in the top of the second and another run in the third to lead 4-0. UNW's first run of the 2014 season campaign came in the fourth frame when Tyler Osborn (Clive, Iowa/Des Moines Christian)'s RBI-single brought Ryan Sutterer (Anoka, Minn./Anoka ) home.

Jesse Donahue (Pine Island, Minn./Pine Island) relieved Peterson in the seventh inning when the Macs scored two more runs, both of which were unearned.

Peterson took the loss in six innings of work as the senior struck out three while allowing seven hits. Sutterer and Osborn both went 2-3 at the plate for Northwestern.

The Eagles gave themselves a better chance in the second contest of the day, but couldn't bring in a game-tying run in a late-game push. UNW was the team to score first thanks much in part to Taylor McMurray (Vadnais Heights, Minn./Totino-Grace)'s leadoff triple, with the Eagles' center fielder scoring on an RBI groundout by Aaron Rau (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge).

Immaculata put up a four-spot on Eagles pitcher Troy Nelson (Buena Park, Calif. /Buena Park) in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead. The Mighty Macs used three hits and a UNW error to go up by three before Northwestern answered back with two runs in both the fourth and fifth frames. Osborn tripled in the fourth to bring in Sutterer and Peterson before a Rau sacrifice fly and a Sutterer triple brought in runs in the fifth.

Immaculata was good for another big inning in the bottom half of the fifth as their three-run spree put the Mighty Macs back out in front ultimately for good. Nelson hit two of the first four batters he faced to help that cause in a two-hit frame.

Northwestern wasn't going to go away without a fight as Michael Studer (St. Anthony Village, Minn. /St. Anthony Village) hit another extra base hit for the Eagles to lead off the sixth before scoring on Austin Adamson (Willmar, Minn./Willmar)'s follow-up single. With Immaculata scoring a run in the bottom of the inning, UNW would need two in the top of the seventh to tie. With Peterson on first, Osborn tripled again to bring the Eagles within one, but a pop fly in the team's next at-bat ended the game with the Mighty Macs on top by a run.

Nelson went five and one-third innings in his Northwestern debut on the mound allowing eight earned runs on the same number of hits. Drew Tennyson (Stuartevant, Wis./Christian Life) came in to finish the sixth inning, allowing one hit in his two-thirds of an inning's worth of work.

At the plate, McMurray, Peterson and Osborn all collected multiple hits, with Osborn tallying three RBI.

Northwestern will play two single games on Saturday, starting the day off with a morning affair against Susquehanna University before wrapping it up with a 7 p.m. EST game contest against Delaware Valley College.