ST. PAUL – Heading into Friday's series-opening game against Bethany Lutheran College, University of Northwestern pitcher Connor Olson (Mahtomedi, Minn/Mahtomedi) had four previous quality outings that saw the senior allow a maximum of two earned runs per appearance, yet all went into the book as losses against the UNW ace. Olson worked a combined 24 innings in the Eagles' last three contests when he was on the mound, twice allowing no earned runs to score as he maintained a 3.52 earned run average in 30 and two-thirds innings pitched. Olson's first win, an 11-2 final at Reynolds Field, came at the right time as Northwestern kicked off a three-game weekend with a lopsided win in what was dubbed the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference's (UMAC) Game of the Week.

Olson struck out five Vikings batters in an eight-and-two-thirds innings appearance, yielding one earned run to drop his season ERA down to 3.00, as Northwestern tallied 14 hits in a win over a Bethany team that had outscored its UMAC opponents 112-39 in 2015.

Three of Olson's five Ks came in the first two innings as he forced BLC to put zeros on the board. Northwestern scored its first runs of the game in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of what would be a very successful day for Porter Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Home School). Morrell hit a soft double down the left field line that put runners on second and third for UNW before Taylor McMurray (Vadnais Heights, Minn./Totino-Grace) ripped a two-out, two-RBI single. Vikings pitcher Ronald Donley, a leftie who entered the day with a 1.77 ERA, struggled with his control a bit, allowing the Eagles batters to sit back on the senior's pitches.

Northwestern clung to that two-run lead through the middle innings as Olson worked his way out of a few jams. Olson was faced with runners on first and second in the second frame, a situation that he would see again in both the third and fourth with a 5-3 double play ending the latter inning.

UNW had the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth with one out, but wasn't able to convert on its next to opportunities in the batter's box. Braxton Lindow (Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls) grounded out to the pitcher before John Hietpas (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge), who was playing for the first time since suffering an injury on March 13, was rung up on strikes after a 10-pitch at-bat that saw the junior foul off several full-count pitches from Donley.

Olson again got out of a jam in the fifth with some help from his defense. The pitcher walked Bethany Lutheran's leadoff batter, Nick Caldeen, who advanced to second on a single by Drew Quame. Caldeen was picked off at second thanks to Morrell's laser from home to brother Tucker Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) before a groundout and a fly out eventually ended the inning. Olson wouldn't be as fortunate in the sixth though, as Northwestern surrendered a run when the pitcher attempted to field a bunt, a play that resulted in an overthrow at first base. The Vikings' Brandyn Olsen nearly put his team ahead with a home run over the 20-foot left field fence, but Olson's smash was just foul. Like Hietpas in the fourth, Olsen battled UNW's Olson before fanning on strike three in what was a 13-pitch at-bat. Porter Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Home School) made the play even better when he gunned down a stealing Trent Saharek at second to end the inning to preserve what was a 2-1 edge for the Eagles.

Northwestern responded with a three-run sixth frame, starting the inning with the bases loaded and no outs. Porter Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Home School) scored on an RBI groundout by Tucker Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) before a wild pitch allowed Michael Studer (St. Anthony Village, Minn. /St. Anthony Village) to score from third. Hietpas came up clutch again in the box, doubling down the right field line to bring in Lindow from third to boost the UNW lead to 5-1.

Bethany would again add a run in the seventh, but Connor Olson (Mahtomedi, Minn/Mahtomedi) threw a one-two-three eighth before the Eagles went off for six runs in the bottom of that inning.

Vikings head coach Ryan Kragh turned to right-hander Arlen Nett to pitch what was a scoreless seventh for UNW, but things went south for Nett soon thereafter. Lindow hit a triple to right to score Tucker Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) from first before scoring on his own on Hietpas's single through the left side. Kragh then called for lefty sidearm Shane Moore, but that didn't stop the bleeding either as Porter Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Home School) and MacMurray added RBI hits in what turned out to be a six-run frame to give Olson plenty of space for that first victory of the year.

Olson recorded one out in the ninth before Benjamin Jenney (Albertville, Minn./Maranatha Christian) earned the remaining two outs in quick order as UNW had a nine-run win in the bag.

For as well as Olson threw, Northwestern also received a 5-for-5 performance from Porter Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Home School) at the plate with the sophomore adding an RBI and three runs scored. Hietpas had quite a Reynolds Field debut, going 3-for-5 with two RBI, matching his March 9 performance against Penn State-Behrend.

Northwestern and Bethany Lutheran will be back at the ballpark for a twin bill on Saturday to wrap up the series. Troy Nelson (Buena Park, Calif. /Buena Park) (2-3, 3.86 ERA) has historically been the Saturday Game 1 starter for the Eagles, while the Vikings could offer Olsen (1-2, 7.84 ERA) or Cody Leitner (1-1, 1.83 ERA) for the 12 p.m. first pitch.