Auburndale, FL - The MLC Knights baseball team wrapped up their 8 game spring break trip in Florida with a doubleheader against Cazenovia College. MLC would split the final two games, as they lost to the Wildcats 5-4 in the first matchup. However, the Knights bounced back with an all around team performance with a commanding 9-1 victory in the second game.

    Cazenovia 5, MLC 4

    The Knights followed up their slugfest from the previous game in which they scored 20 runs against Medaille with more of the same Monday morning. MLC jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after 3 innings of play, when Jackson Lindemann and Sam Rodriguez both RBI singles. The Knights focused on situational hitting and were able to drive in their third run of the game off a Carter Seltz sacrifice fly at the bottom of the third inning. From there MLC looked poised to hold off the Wildcats when they took a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but Cazenovia got the bats going with a 4-run inning. The rally was started by multiple MLC errors and a couple of singles from Cazenovia. The Wildcats would then win the game off of a walk-off RBI single from Zach Rainville in the bottom of the seventh inning.

    Six MLC batters contributed with hits in the game, with Jackson Lindemann and Caleb Heckendorf both going 3-4 at the plate. Spencer Lilienthal and Mason Cox also continued their hot starts to the season and each player went 1-2 with 2 runs scored. 

    Michael Fromm was on the hill and threw 6 innings in which he only gave up 4 runs (3 earned) on 9 hits, while striking out 4 Cazenovia batters. Matt Rieger (0-1) would come in relief for Fromm and allowed 1 run on 2 hits.

    
    MLC 9, Cazenovia 1

    Cazenovia started the game 2 with a run in the top of the first inning. MLC would fight right back with more offense when they scored 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning. The inning was highlighted by a Mason Cox single that drove in 2 runs and a Rodriguez 2-run homer. MLC would add to their 4-1 lead and score 5 unanswered runs to defeat the Wildcats 9-1. 

    In addition to the Rodriguez home run, the sophomore pitched a stellar complete game, allowing only 1 run back in the first inning on 7 hits. Rodriguez would strike out 3 Cazenovia batters and had great command of the strike zone with just one walk. The top of the lineup prouced once again for MLC as the 1 through 4 hitters all had multi-hit games. Cox went 3-4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored, while Spencer Lilienthal contributed with (2 hits, 2 runs). As a team, the Knights stole 6 bases and used that aggressive baserunning to put them in scoring position throughout the game.

    With the split, MLC went (3-5) in the 8 games played down in Florida. The Knights will now be off for over a week, as they shift their gears for a regional contest at MSOE on March 18 where they will play a 3 game series in Milwaukee.