ST. PAUL – The University of Northwestern earned a berth into the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) for the seventh consecutive year with a 9-1 win over visiting Crown College on Friday night. The Eagles received a solid six-inning performance from starting pitcher Troy Nelson (Buena Park, Calif. /Buena Park) and used a four-run fourth frame to really get things going.

Northwestern scored at least one run in four of the first five innings. Despite not getting a hit, Tyler Osborn (Clive, Iowa/Des Moines Christian) recorded an RBI in each of his first three at-bats, twice scoring Tyler McMurray from third base. McMurray started the four-run spree in the fourth with an RBI single through the left side that brought in Erik Nyquist (Elk River, Minn./Pine Island) before Ryan Sutterer (Anoka, Minn./Anoka ) brought in two more runs on his own RBI single to center, giving the Eagles a 6-1 lead after four complete innings.

A Braxton Lindow (Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls) triple that went right over first base and down the right field line helped put another run on the board for UNW, as Tucker Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) came home. Morrell, who walked three times in the game, turned in a triple of his own in the seventh, but stranding runners became a steady issue for the Eagles all night as UNW finished the game with 13 left on base.

While Northwestern couldn't score as much as it wanted to, head coach Dave Hieb certainly got some solid defense in return. John Heitpas provided two web gems at third base, including a diving grab to his left to rob Crown's Hunter Foss of a single in the fifth. Osborn saved a run in the sixth as his left field catch prevented a Storm runner on third from scoring.

Nelson didn't give up an earned run in his six-inning outing, but the pitch count was mounting for the Eagles sophomore. Crown's lone score came in the first frame thanks to a defensive gaffe by UNW's infield on a routine sacrifice bunt. Benjamin Jenney (Albertville, Minn./Maranatha Christian) worked two scoreless innings in his 18th appearance on the mound of the season before Corban Halbur (Richfield, Minn./Richfield) came in to pitch the ninth.

Five different UNW jerseys had two hits under the lights on a beautiful night for baseball. Sutterer finished 2-for-4 with four RBI.

Northwestern and Crown will be back at Reynolds Field on Saturday for the second and third games of the final UMAC regular season series. UNW's Connor Olson (Mahtomedi, Minn/Mahtomedi) is expected to take the mound at 12 p.m. for the first pitch.