AUBURNDALE, Fla. - The Martin Luther College baseball team opened the 2019 season with a pair of defeats to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) by the scores of 10-0 and 7-2 on Friday.

WPI 10, MLC 0

The Engineers took an early lead and never looked back on the way to a 10-0 win in game one.

WPI quickly took a 3-0 edge thanks to a three-run home run off MLC starting pitcher Dillon Solomon (0-1) in the first inning, and built an 8-0 advantage through four innings. Solomon allowed six runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two in 3.1 innings of work. Callahan Diersen, Andrew Deisinger and Michael Fromm finished the game in relief.

Junior Caleb Christopher accounted for both MLC hits at the plate.

WPI 7, MLC 2

WPI finished the sweep with a 7-2 win in game two. 

MLC starting pitcher Matt Baehman (0-1) struggled with his control early and the Engineers took advantage. Baehman walked four batters in the second inning, helping WPI score five runs to take a big early lead.

Baehman helped the Knights stay in the game with a two-run double in the bottom of the second, but the deficit was too much to overcome. 

Baehman pitched the first four innings and allowed six runs on five hits and five walks while striking out five. Nate Goelzer pitched the final three innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits.

At the plate, Baehman finished the day 2-4 with two runs batted in. Joey Behm and Adam Westra scored the two MLC runs.

MLC fell to 0-2 on the season with the two defeat. WPI improved to 7-1 with the sweep.

The Knights will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, March 9) when they play a doubleheader against Grove City starting at 9:45 a.m. (local time).