ST. PAUL, Minn.- Despite the UMAC Baseball season just getting started, this week's series being held at Reynolds Field promises to have implications that will shape the conference landscape throughout the season. The University of Northwestern Eagles are hosting the Minnesota-Morris Cougars for three games and it was the home team that picked up an important victory in the opener on Tuesday afternoon. The Eagles soared to a 9-2 win over the Cougars.
You don't have to look too far to figure out why this week's three game set is so vital for both of these clubs; last year's standings tell the whole story. The Eagles finished with a UMAC record of 10-9 and narrowly missed a spot in the UMAC Postseason Tournament. The team that finished one spot ahead of Northwestern and claimed the final spot in the conference tournament? You guessed it: Minnesota-Morris.
Everybody was excited for this massive UMAC series… well, almost everyone. Mother Nature did not seem to want these two teams to do battle on the diamond as a late-March snowstorm pushed the series from late last week into this week. On Tuesday morning when the UNW players and coaches woke up anticipating their showdown with the Cougars later in the day, what did they find? More snowfall. However, thanks to the terrific grounds crew at Northwestern and some help from Mother Nature herself (it was about time), the snow was melted and the field was clear.
Play ball.
Minnesota-Morris arrived in the Twin Cities ready to play. They drew a leadoff walk in the top of the first and then stole second base. An Eagle error extended the inning and the Cougars got a clutch, two-out single through the right side of the infield to break the scoreless tie with an unearned run.
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) and
Mark Bligh (Sydney, Australia/Magdalene Catholic College) picked up hits in the home half of the frame, but the Eagles were held scoreless and trailed 1-0 after one inning of play.
Nick Drinken (Randolph, Minn./Randolph), UNW's starting pitcher, took the mound in the second inning having given up a run in the opening frame despite never giving up solid contact. He picked up a strikeout on his way to a 1-2-3 second inning. UNW would then score runs in three consecutive innings, starting in the second.
In the second,
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) and
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) drew one-out walks.
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) singled and the Eagles went station-to-station to load the bases.
Braden Storts (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) was retired via groundout to the shortstop but Pilon came home to score.
In the third, walks came back to haunt the Cougars once again (you're a real one if you remember the "walks will haunt graphic" that used to grace videoboard at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome… if you know you know). Crabb and Bligh each drew walks before
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley) came up to the plate and tripled them both home to put UNW in front. Karges came around to score on Pilon's RBI single and the Eagles finished the third inning having put up a three spot.
The Eagles added two more in the fourth. Crabb and Bligh (name a more iconic duo when it comes to players who play for the 2024 Northwestern Eagles baseball team setting up scoring opportunities at the top of the lineup… that's what we thought. You can't) got on base once again before Karges delivered another RBI extra base hit. Crabb and Bligh came into score on his double. Minnesota-Morris had scored a run of their own in the top of the third so the scoreboard now read 6-2 in favor of the home team.
Drinken, the Eagles' right handed pitcher, went on a tear after giving up a run in the third (the only earned run he would allow in the contest). Drinken would shut out the Cougars from the fourth inning on. The senior picked up his second win of the season by going 9 innings (complete game), giving up five hits, two runs (one earned), two walks, and picking up ten strikeouts.
In the later innings,
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) and
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) would pick up sacrifice flies and
Benji Bruce (Minneapolis, Minn./Maranatha Christian) came into score when a teammate grounded into a double play. The Eagles won the series opener, 9-2.
UNW's offense ended the day with 15 hits and six walks.
Mark Bligh (Sydney, Australia/Magdalene Catholic College),
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights), and
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley) had three hits apiece while Karges added four RBIs.
The series with the Cougars wraps up tomorrow (Wednesday, April 3
rd). UNW will host Minnesota-Morris in a doubleheader that begins at 2:00pm.
