COON RAPIDS, Minn. - The Martin Luther College baseball team split its conference doubleheader at North Central on Sunday. The Knights came from behind in the late innings to win game one 8-4 in 10 innings, but lost game wo 11-9.

MLC 8, NCU 4 (10 innings)

The Knights came back from a late two-run deficit to win game one 8-4 in extra innings.

MLC trailed 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning, but scored once in that inning before tying the game with one run in the ninth to send the game to extra innings.

The Knights struggled all game with runners on base (hitting 3-17 in the first nine innings with runners in scoring position), but came through in the 10th inning with five hits on the way to four runs to take the lead.

That would be more than enough for Andrew Mantz (1-3), who pitched three scoreless innings in relief of starting pitcher Adam Kock to earn his first win of the season. 

MLC finished the game with a season-high 20 hits, led by three apiece from Tyler Roecker, Jared Lindemann, Caleb Christopher, Adam Westra and Kock. Christopher also drove in three of the team's eight runs.

NCU 11, MLC 9

NCU returned the favor with a comeback win of its own to win game two 11-9

The Knights led 6-2 early and 9-7 late until the Rams scored four times off Baehman (1-4) in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead. Baehman went the distance for MLC, allowing all 11 runs (eight earned) on 13 hits while striking out five. 

Roecker and Baehman led the MLC hitters with seven hits and five runs combined. Dillon Solomon and Jared Lindemann each drove in three runs for the Knights. 

MLC moved to 3-22 on the season and 1-14 in UMAC play following the split. NCU moved to 6-21 overall and 3-13 in league play.

The Knights will finish the season on Tuesday, May 8. MLC will resume its game against Crown College (Knights lead that game 4-1 with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning) from earlier this week at 5 p.m. That game will be immediately followed by a non-conference game between the two teams.