Box Score

COON RAPIDS, Minn. – The University of Northwestern baseball team pre-empted its three-game series this weekend with what was scheduled to be a single, nine-inning Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) game against North Central University. The Eagles didn't need nine runs to seal the deal, scoring in all but one of the first seven innings to end the game with an 11-0 victory on a 10-run rule.

All three of Northwestern's league games against the Rams ended with a 10-rule after seven innings in 2014. As a team, the Eagles had three doubles and a trio of triples at Wintercrest Park, with Sutterer collecting one of each.

UNW's best inning came in the second frame, when the Eagles put up three runs in a spree that was started by a Haagenson double. With runners on the corners, Northwestern head coach then called for the double steal, and both Haagenson and Tyler Osborn (Clive, Iowa/Des Moines Christian) were safe at their respective bases – Haagenson at home and Osborn at second.

In addition to the usual starting lineup, UNW players Jordan Knutson (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge/Isanti), Cameron Mingo (Nassau, Bahamas/Kingston Academy) and Andrew Cunliffe (Leopolis, Wis./Marion High School) all saw action in Thursday's game. Both Mingo and Cunliffe were good for RBIs.

Ryan Sutterer (Anoka, Minn./Anoka ) went 4-5 at the plate while Andy Haagenson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley) added a 3-5 performance with two runs batted in and the same number of scores to help the Eagles out-hit their opponent 15-3. Meanwhile, Troy Nelson (Buena Park, Calif. /Buena Park) was deadly on the mound, throwing six innings with 10 strikeouts to earn the victory. Drew Tennyson (Stuartevant, Wis./Christian Life) wrapped the day up with a one-two-three seventh frame.

Now 15-15 overall, the Eagles will wrap up their UMAC schedule with a three-game slate against Martin Luther College at St. Anthony Village High School in nearby St. Anthony Village, Minn. Northwestern and the Knights will open the series with a single nine-inning game at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 2 before concluding with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, May 3.