WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The Martin Luther College baseball team opened its spring trip with a doubleheader split against Knox College on Friday. The Knights lost game one 7-5, but came back to win game two 7-4.
Game 1The Knights were unable to overcome an early deficit in a 7-5 game one defeat.
Starting pitcher
Jonathan Kock allowed four runs in the second inning, but only one was earned as the MLC defense struggled behind him.
Kock fell to 0-2 on the season in defeat, allowing four runs in three innings of work.
The Knights finished with eight hits on offense.
Erich Osterman led the way with three hits and one run scored.
Tom Keller and
James Hemmelman each finished with a pair of singles for MLC.
Game 2MLC scored seven runs in its final two innings to win game two 7-4 in come from behind fashion.
Dillon Solomon pitched well in a starting role for MLC, but left after four innings with Knox leading 2-0.
The Knights roared back with three runs in the fifth inning, and four more in the sixth to build a 7-2 lead before finishing with the three-run win.
Osterman and Keller were once again among the top MLC hitters, combining for five hits and four runs scored.
Karl Kuschel added three hits and a pair of runs scored, while
Jason Lindemann drove in three runs on a pair of hits.
Grant Hagen earned the win in his debut after pitching a pair of scoreless innings in relief of Solomon.Â
MLC is now 1-3 on the season, while Knox moved to 1-6 following the split.
The Knights will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, March 19), when they play Fitchburg State in a double header scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.
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