Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern baseball team welcomed Martin Luther to Reynolds Field for a Friday night non-conference doubleheader. The Eagles pulled off the 2-0 sweep over the Knights, downing them 2-1 in game one and 13-2 in game two. Northwestern improves to 9-6 on the year, while MLC falls to 2-11 overall.
 
Game 1: Northwestern 2, Martin Luther 1
It was the Knights who were first to score in the Friday afternoon match-up, but the Eagles didn't wait long to bounce back. Senior Aaron Krahn (Roseau, Minn./Roseau) started out his productive day at the plate with a double to left field to score Guerin Szafraniec (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) to tie it up at 1-1.
 
In the bottom of the third, it was Krahn again – this time singling to left to score Szafraniec and give the Eagles what would become the winning run.
 
Philip Wall (Juneau, Alaska/IDEA) was on the mound for UNW, throwing six innings of work and allowing just six hits and a run as his record improves to 3-0. Senior Bradley Spencer (Papillion, Neb./Papillion South) faced four batters in the seventh, striking out one to earn his third save of the season.
 
The Eagles recorded just three hits in the game, but committed no errors behind Wall and Spencer's performance on the mound.
 
Game 2: Northwestern 13, Martin Luther 2
Northwestern quickly made up for game one's offensive drought by scoring nine runs in just the first three innings of game two action.
 
The Eagles biggest production, a five-run third inning, came after Guerin Szafraniec (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) got things rolling with a two-RBI single and Aaron Krahn (Roseau, Minn./Roseau) followed up with a three-RBI homerun. Krahn went 4-for-7 at the plate on the day with two doubles, a homerun and seven RBIs. He leads the Eagles with 14 runs batted in this season.
 
Northwestern tacked on two more runs in the bottom of four when Eric Peterson (Coon Valley, Wis./Westby) led off the inning with a single to left field. He eventually scored on a series of wild pitches before back-to-back hits from Chad Wakabayashi (Waipahu, Hawaii/Hanalani) and Caleb Piersma (Pella, Iowa/Pella) resulted in another UNW run.
 
Tyler Stopera (St. Anthony Village, Minn./St. Anthony Village) batted in the final run for Northwestern as a well-rounded appearance at the plate saw eight different Eagles with hits in the contest. Guerin Szafraniec (Brighton, Colo./Brighton), Aaron Krahn (Roseau, Minn./Roseau), Tyler Stopera (St. Anthony Village, Minn./St. Anthony Village) and Chad Wakabayashi (Waipahu, Hawaii/Hanalani) recorded two apiece.
 
Quinton Lindow (Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls) started on the mound and pitched five complete innings to earn the win. He allowed five hits and two runs to improve to 2-1 on the year. Ryan Flanigan (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) and Payton Brown (Elk River, Minn./PACT Charter) each recorded an inning of work. Flanigan retired the side, while Brown struck out two of four batters faced.
 
The Eagles will return to action on Monday, April 1 when they welcome Hamline University to Reynolds Field for a single, nine-inning game. First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m.
 
Follow UNW baseball online this season at www.unweagles.com