NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College baseball team would not be denied its first win of the season with a two-out rally in the eighth inning to defeat Northland 5-4 on Saturday.

The Knights started strong as Andrew Deisinger and Spencer Lilienthal each drove in a run with base hits in the top of the first inning to give MLC a 2-0 lead. 

MLC had chances to blow the game open early, but left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings as part of 17 runners it would leave on base for the game.

Northland capitalized, scoring once in both the third and fourth frames off MLC starting pitcher Sam Rodriguez to tie the game, but the Knights once again took the lead thanks to a two-run double by Jonas Lindemann in the fifth that scored Caleb Heckendorf and Jordan Ramirez.

The Knights held onto that 4-2 lead until the eighth inning, when the Lumberjacks took advantage of a couple defensive misplays to score twice off Lindemann in relief to tie the game 4-4. 

Hungry for the Knights' first win of the season, Lilienthal started a rally with a two-out double in the bottom half of the eighth, and Heckendorf drove him home with a single up the middle, giving the Knights the lead once again. 

In the final frame, Lindemann allowed a two-out single, but forced a pop out to Heckendorf for the final out.

The Knights finished the game with a season-high 15 hits, led by three apiece from Mason Cox, Lilienthal and Heckendorf. 

Rodriguez pitched well on the mound, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings. Lindemann (1-1) earned his first career win in relief, allowing two runs on four hits in two innings.

The Knights improved to 1-11 on the season and 1-1 in UMAC play with the win. Northland dropped to 0-9 overall and 0-1 in league play in defeat.

Both teams will return to the field tomorrow, when the Knights host the Lumberjacks for a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.