Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FT. MYERS, Fla. – The Cougars split a pair of games with Lakeland College on Friday to improve to 3-5 on the young season. They picked up an 11-6 win in game one thanks to six runs in the bottom of the sixth. They would fall 8-3 in the second game as a late rally came up short.
 
Morris took an early lead in game one, scoring two runs on just one hit in the bottom of the second. Lakeland got a run back in top of the third but Cody Reinke drove in a run in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead.
 
The Muskies took advantage of a couple Cougar errors in the top of the fourth to score four runs and go ahead 5-3. They would tack on another run in the fifth to extend their lead to 6-3.
 
Minnesota Morris threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Reinke came up with a two RBI double to left center driving in both Chandler Erickson and Jake Schmitz, while putting himself in scoring position. Unfortunately Reinke would be stranded on second but the Cougars did pull within one at 6-5.
 
The bottom of the sixth inning started with a hit-by-pitch to kick off a rally. After a strikeout, Doug Zimmel reached via an error and Erickson was also hit to load the bases up. Logan Nordly doubled to right center driving in two and giving the Cougars the lead. Eric Terres singled home a run and then Reinke and Kylan Hill did the same to extend the Cougars lead to 11-6.
 
Despite it not being a save situation Devin Waldvogel game in to the game and kept the Muskies off the board in the seventh to finish out the game. Luke Jorgenson picked up the win.
 
Lakeland started fast in game two of the doubleheader scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. They would add another in the bottom of the second to go up 3-0. Morris threatened in the third but could not push across a run leaving a pair of runners stranded in scoring position.
 
The Cougars gave up a pair of runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings, falling behind 7-0. The Muskies pushed a run across in the sixth, making it 8-0. Minnesota Morris would rally to score three unearned runs in the seventh, loading the bases with nobody out but the rally would come up short, falling 8-3.
 
The spring trip finishes up with a doubleheader against Wisconsin-Stout today in Florida.