NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College baseball team split its home-opening doubleheader against North Central University on Tuesday. The Knights lost  game one 8-0 before winning game two 8-0.

NCU 8, MLC 0

The Knights were unable to generate any offense in an 8-0 defeat in game one.

Starting pitcher Andrew Mantz (0-4) shut the Rams down for the first four innings, but allowed four runs (three earned) over the next two frames as the Rams took a 4-0 lead. 

Matt Baehman came on in relief in the eighth inning, but struggled with control on the way to four runs allowed on three hits and two walks in the final two innings.

MLC finished the game with only five hits. Baehman led the team with two hits, while Caleb Christopher added a double.

MLC 8, NCU 0

Junior Adam Kock (1-3) pitched a complete game shutout to lead MLC to an 8-0 win in game two to earn the split.

Kock allowed only four hits and three walks as he shut the Rams out, inducing 16 fly ball outs to go with nine groundouts and two strikeouts. The shutout was the third of Kock's career, with the other two occurring during his freshman season in 2017.

The offense was held in check for four innings as MLC held a 1-0 lead, but exploded for seven runs in the fifth and sixth frames. Christopher provided one of the key hits with a bases loaded double that cleared the bases, while Tyler Roecker, Joey Behm and Kock each drove in one run apiece. Jared Lindemann was the top hitter on the day for MLC with three hits , while Wade Shult scored two of the team's eight runs. 

MLC moved to 3-15 overall and 1-3 in UMAC play following the split. NCU moved to 8-9 on the season and 1-1 in league play.

The Knights are scheduled to return to action on Friday, April 12, when they travel to Dubuque for the first of two weekend doubleheaders. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.