ST. PAUL – After enduring a difficult three-game sweep to Northland College to start its Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) schedule last weekend, the University of Northwestern returned to the win column with a 7-0 victory over North Central University in a perfect night for baseball on Tuesday. The seven runs were the most for the Eagles since March 12.

Erik Nyquist (Elk River, Minn./Pine Island) picked up his fourth victory of the season on the mound, shutting down the Rams hitters for five innings, a span that saw the freshman strikeout seven while yielding just one hit. Since giving up 10 combined earned runs in his first two outings on March 7 and 13, Nyquist has allowed just one run to cross the plate, bringing his season earned run average down to 3.54.

Nyquist and his relievers – Benjamin Jenney (Albertville, Minn./Maranatha Christian), Nathan Ehnstrom (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin), and Matt Doss (Pillager, Minn./Pillager) – had plenty of help at the plate, where Northwestern picked up steam in the second inning with a five-run frame. UNW, which was helped by a pair of North Central defensive errors, used three hits to bring in the runs. Braxton Lindow (Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls)'s double to left field scored Tucker Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) and Taylor McMurray (Vadnais Heights, Minn./Totino-Grace) from first and second bases after both had walked in their previous at-bats.

The Eagles then pushed single runs across in the fourth and sixth innings, both on sacrifice flies, which was plenty of ammunition for Northwestern to hold off the visiting team from Minneapolis.

As a team, Northwestern collected eight hits, with McMurray going 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. The pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts while allowing just two hits all night as North Central batted three more than the minimum-27.

Now 7-10 on the year, UNW will prepare for an Easter weekend UMAC series against Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn. In typical conference fashion, Northwestern will play the host-Knights in a single, nine-inning game on Friday at 3 p.m., followed by the customary 12 noon doubleheader on Saturday.