Topeka, KS - The Martin Luther College baseball team began its 2024 season with a three-game series against Hamline University at the Bettis Sports Complex in Topeka, Kansas this weekend. The Knights' bats would heat up as the series progressed, but the Pipers completed the three-game sweep. Hamline defeated MLC 15-0 and 20-6 in the doubleheader on Friday and came back to top the Knights in the final game 16-15 on Saturday.

Hamline 15, MLC 0 (Game One)

The Pipers jumped out to an 11-0 lead following two innings of play to quickly put away MLC. Hamline had depth up and down the lineup, as 10 players recorded an RBI. 

Five different MLC players had a hit in the game, with Sam Rodriguez and Carter Seltz picking up two hits apiece. MLC did have chances to make some noise in various innings, but left eight on base throughout the game.

Rodriguez was on the hill for the opening game, but Connor Heckendorf would come in relief for 4.2 innings and allowed just two hits and no earned runs.

Hamline 20, MLC 6 (Game Two)

Hamline took a 6-0 lead after the second inning, but the Knights got on the board for the first time this season in the bottom half of the inning when Heckendorf drove in Seltz and Parker Winghart with a two-run single.

The Pipers went up 12-2 in the fifth inning, but Seltz hit a three-run homerun in the bottom half of the inning to give MLC some more life.

The Knights tacked on one more run in the sixth inning on a Spencer Lilienthal groundout, but Hamline put the game away with eight more runs in the next three innings to take both games of the doubleheader.

Heckendorf and Winghart finished the game with two hits apiece, while Seltz had three RBI to lead the MLC offense in game two.

Jackson Anderson had his first collegiate start and although he picked up the loss, the freshman struck out three batters in 2.1 innings thrown.

Hamline 16, MLC 15 (Game Three)

The Knights had a great opportunity to win their first game of the season in the final clash of the series. MLC stormed out to a big lead out the gate, plating 10 runs in the top of the first frame. The MLC offense strung together five doubles in the inning, with Cox and Winghart each raking in two of the extra base hits for the squad.

The Pipers chipped away at the deficit by scoring six runs through four innings, but eventually took the lead 13-10 after a 10-run fifth inning. Mac Enlow connected on a three-run homer and the rest of the lineup got on base via walks or solid contact at the plate.

After falling behind, MLC added a run in the sixth and seventh inning, but Hamline would follow suit and would also score a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to go up 16-12.

The Knights would have one more chance in the top of the ninth inning to complete the comeback and received a clutch RBI double from Spencer Lilienthal to pull the MLC deficit to 16-13. Cox then belted a 2-run homer to make it 16-15. In the next two at bats, Winghart and Seltz got on from a pair of walks, but freshman Joseph Olson was unable to bring them home and the Pipers held on for the sweep.

Despite the sweep, the Knights showed a lot of promise offensively and proved that they will be a force at the plate all season long. Lilienthal finished this game with a career high in hits (5) and RBI (4).

Cox also recorded a career-high four RBI and the senior finished the game with 3 hits, alongside Alex Ritter. Wingart drove in 3 runs in the number four spot in the lineup.

Next up for MLC (0-3) is the RussMatt Invitational down in Auburndale, Florida. There, the Knights will compete in 10 games against other D-III schools, starting with a doubleheader with Wentworth on Monday, March 4, at 2:30 p.m.