MANKATO, Minn. - The Martin Luther College baseball team dropped both games of its non-conference doubleheader against Bethany Lutheran College on Sunday at Franklin Rogers Park. The Knights lost game one in the final inning 3-2 before losing game two 13-4.
BLC 3, MLC 2
The Vikings won game one on a walk-off single with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to top MLC 3-2.
MLC starting pitcher
Andrew Mantz (0-2) was stellar throughout, allowing only three runs (one earned) on ten hits as he went the distance for his second complete game of the season. Mantz struck out a season-high five batters and only walked one in defeat.
BLC scored two unearned runs in the first inning, but the Knights tied the game thanks to a pair of
Caleb Christopher RBI doubles. His first two-bagger scored
Dillon Solomon in the third inning, while his second tied the game in the fifth inning by scoring
Nate Goelzer.
Solomon and Christopher each finished with two hits to lead the Knights.
BLC 13, MLC 4
The Vikings jumped on the Knights early in game two on the way to a 13-4 win.
After a scoreless first frame, BLC scored seven runs in the second inning, and added three more in the third to take a commanding lead. MLC starting pitcher
Michael Fromm (1-1) struggled on the bump, allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits while walking one in 1.1 innings. Fellow first-year pitchers
Andrew Deisinger and
Caleb Westra finished the game in relief for MLC.
The Knights were held without a run until the top of the sixth inning, when
Tony Sahatjian and
Tyler Roecker drove in runs with a walk and hit by pitch, respectively. MLC loaded the based once more in the final inning, scoring two runs on a catcher's interference and Sahatjian single.
Christopher once again led the hitting effort with a pair of singles.Â
MLC fell to 2-8 on the season following the sweep, while BLC improved to 4-9
The Knights will return to action on Wednesday, March 27, when they face Crown College in another non-conference doubleheader at Minnetonka High School. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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