New Ulm, MN - The Martin Luther College baseball team recognized its six seniors and the parents of all 17 players of the 2024 squad on Saturday against Crown. The Polars came out victorious in all three games, beating MLC 19-2 on Thursday and 3-1, 12-4 on Saturday, but the Knights played well enough to keep it close for the majority of the series.

Crown 19, MLC 2

The Knights had their chances to score in the first two innings of game one but left runners stranded on base after Crown went up 2-0. The Polars extended their lead following back-to-back homers from Howie Hatton and Bryan Gerbers in the third inning and Crown jumped out to a 7-0 lead.

From that point on, the Polars found their rhythm at the plate and scored 12 more runs for their decisive victory in game one. As a team, Crown had five players with multi-RBI games.

Despite only scoring two runs, MLC did come up with nine hits and had a nice approach at the plate. The Knights got onto the scoring column with a Jackson Lindemann RBI single in the third and a Carter Seltz RBI double to right field in the fifth.

Caleb Carlovsky started the game for the Knights and did have a solid outing, allowing just four runs (two earned) while striking out four batters in two innings on the mound.

Crown 3, MLC 1

Matt Rieger got the ball for the game two starts on Saturday and threw his fifth career complete game, going nine innings strong on the mound. The senior worked through the Polars' lineup quickly and allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits.

Hatton came up with an RBI double, while Ashton Long added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the third inning.

Despite Rieger's impressive pitching, the Knights were unable to capitalize with key hits with runners in scoring position. Parker Winghart brought in Alex Ritter on a sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom of the eighth to get MLC on the scoreboard.

Spencer Lilienthal and Ritter led MLC with two hits apiece.

Crown 12, MLC 4

The final home game was highlighted by Parker Winghart's RBI double to right field in the bottom of the first. With that double, Winghart broke the MLC single-season doubles record (16), topping the previous mark of 15 set by Caleb Christopher in 2019.

MLC then tied up the game in the bottom of the third when Carter Seltz hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-2, but Crown returned to the plate in the top of the fourth and pushed their lead to 6-2. Hatton once again came through for his team and hit a clutch two-run shot to left field to give Crown the 8-2 lead in the sixth.

Jacob Van Dam earned the win for Crown and allowed three runs while striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.

Lilienthal and Winghart each recorded two hits in the game, leading the Knights in that category at the top of the lineup.

MLC will now shift gears for their final series of the season as they travel up to Northland College on Friday, May 3. The two teams will play at 3 p.m. on Friday, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m.