MANKATO, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Baseball team headed to Mankato on Friday afternoon to play the first game of a three game series with Bethany Lutheran. The Eagles' bats were hot on a cold day and UNW won the game 10-0.
On the chilly, windy day in Mankato, it did take the Eagles' bats some time to warm up. After being held scoreless for the first three innings, it was
Guerin Szafraniec (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) who put the Eagles on the board. The reigning UMAC Player of the Week hit a triple down the left field line that scored
Sam Peterson (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin). Szafraniec would come around to score later in the inning on a double, also to left field, by
Ben Spores (Arlington, Wash./Arlington). The Eagles held a 2-0 lead after the top of the fourth.
As has been the case throughout his entire career,
Sam Peterson (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) provided the Eagles with another spark in the top half of the fifth inning. The senior, who is having a career year, launched his 7
th homerun of the season over the left centerfield wall. This was a three run shot that gave the Eagles a comfortable 5-0 lead.
The nail in the coffin came from
Keegan Vercoe (Queen Creek, Ariz./Poston Butte) in the sixth inning. The Eagles' slugger, who is once again having one of the most prolific power hitting seasons in program history, went the other way and hit a grand slam out to left field to blow the game open. This was Vercoe's ninth homerun of the season and the 22
nd of his Eagle career. The senior is one homerun away from tying the all-time program record for homeruns in a career, and is two homeruns away from breaking the record. Out of the 22 homeruns Vercoe has hit in an Eagle uniform, this was his first collegiate grand slam. The Eagles would add another run in the 8
th inning to win the game 10-0.
Owen Boerema (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) continued his remarkable stretch of pitching performances in the win over Bethany Lutheran. The left hander, who earned every D3 weekly pitching award under the sun for his performance last week, was outstanding on the mound once again. Boerema pitched a complete game (8 innings) shutout, only gave up six hits, and struck out 13 batters. The junior was untouchable once again on Friday afternoon to lead the Eagles to the important conference victory.
The Eagles will travel back to Mankato tomorrow to complete the three game series with a doubleheader. The first pitch for game one is scheduled to take place at 2:00 PM. Live updates to the games can be found on twitter @UNWBaseball.
