MORRIS, Minn. - The Martin Luther College baseball team lost both games of its doubleheader at University of Minnesota Morris by the scores of 6-5 and 18-6 on Tuesday.
UMM 6, MLC 5
MLC was unable to come up with the big hits late on the way to a 6-5 defeat in game one.
The Knights started strong thanks to a three-run first inning.
Jason Lindemann's two-run double scored
Tom Keller and
Dillon Solomon, while Lindemann scored the third run on a
Caleb Christopher groundout.
The Cougars tied the game 3-3 in the third, and then took a three-run lead with one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh off MLC starting pitcher
Jon Kock. Keller and Kock scored in the eighth to cut the deficit to one run, but the Knights were unable to get any closer the rest of the way.
Kock (1-4) went the distance for MLC and allowed six runs on 16 hits while striking out three. Keller led MLC with two hits.
UMM 18, MLC 6 (7 innings)
The Knights were unable to slow the Cougar offense in an 18-6 loss in game two.
UMM chased MLC starting pitcher
Noah Panzer (1-4) with six runs in the first inning, but the Knights responded with a five-run third inning to cut the deficit to 6-5. Kock, Lindemann and Keller each drove in runs in the frame to get the Knights within one run.
The Cougars weren't done at the plate, however, and scored six times in their next three times at bat, and then put the game away with a six-run sixth inning.
Panzer went just the one inning and allowed six runs on seven hits.
Andrew Mantz (4.0 innings, six runs, four strikeouts) and
Grant Hagen (1.0 inning, six runs, five hits) finished the game in relief.
MLC fell to 4-20 on the season and 0-10 in UMAC play with the two defeats. UMM improved to 11-17 this season and 5-3 in league play with the sweep.
The Knights will return to action on Thursday, April 27, when they travel to North Central for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
