ST. PAUL – After dropping game one (8-1), the University of Northwestern baseball team returned to its usual form, taking the nightcap, 6-2, of Wednesday's Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) doubleheader with the University of Minnesota-Morris on Senior Night at Reynolds Field.
UNW honored its seven graduating seniors prior to first pitch. This year's senior class includes:
Benjamin Jenney (Albertville, Minn./Maranatha Christian),
Aaron Rau (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge),
Tucker Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool),
Cameron Mingo (Nassau, Bahamas/Kingsway Academy),
John Hietpas (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge),
Troy Nelson (Buena Park, Calif. /Buena Park) and
Brady Arneson (Fosston, Minn./Fosston).
The Eagles hit the 20-win plateau and move to 20-16 overall and 12-2 in league play, while the Cougars now sit at 14-22 and 7-7 in loop contests. It is the eighth time in head coach
Dave Hieb's 21-year tenure that the Eagles have accumulated 20 wins in a season.
Game One
The Eagles struggled to find their rhythm and deliver timely hits at the plate in game one, stranding 11 runners on base in the 8-1 loss.
UNW's lone run came in the bottom of the fifth when
Ryan Sutterer (Anoka, Minn./Anoka ) recorded his team-leading 36th RBI on a double that scored
Tyler Osborn (Clive, Iowa/Des Moines Christian). Osborn smashed a two-bagger of his own to lead off the frame.
Nathan Ehnstrom (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin),
Bradley Spencer (Papillion, NE/Papillion South), Osborn and Sutterer all tallied a pair of hits to lead the Eagles at the plate.
Troy Nelson (Buena Park, Calif. /Buena Park) was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs on 10 hits in his five innings of work. Jake Franzen didn't allow an earned run in his four-inning relief appearance out of the pen.
Game Two
Northwestern didn't waste any time getting back on track in game two, as the Eagles plated three runs in the bottom of the first to take an early lead.
Brett Reinhart (Chanhassen, Minn./Southwest Christian),
Nathan Ehnstrom (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) and
Bradley Spencer (Papillion, NE/Papillion South) all knocked RBI singles to account for the trio of runs.
UNW tacked on three more runs in the sixth to distance its lead to 6-0.
Aaron Rau (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) laid down a bunt that allowed
Nathan Ehnstrom (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) to score, while
Tucker Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) (fielder's choice) notched an RBI and
Braxton Lindow (Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls) provided a run-scoring single.
Minnesota Morris scratched two runs across in the top of the seventh, but
Nathan Ehnstrom (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) came in to throw a scoreless final 1.2 innings to grab his third save of the season.
Osborn, Sutterer and Spencer all added two more hits to their season totals in the nightcap to lead the charge at the dish.
Benjamin Jenney (Albertville, Minn./Maranatha Christian) capped off his final regular season home game in style, allowing just two earned runs in 7.1 innings of work en route to moving to a perfect 6-0 on the season. The right-hander fanned three.
The Eagles will close out the regular season with a UMAC doubleheader at Martin Luther College on Saturday. First pitch in game one is set for 1:30 p.m. in New Ulm. Fans can find more information at
www.unweagles.com.
