MORRIS, Minn. – Minnesota Morris (11-18, 6-10 UMAC) and Northwestern (15-13, 9-5 UMAC) split their doubleheader on Friday in a pair of games that ended up to being routs. The Cougars won game one 11-1 and the Eagles won game two 12-0.
Jake Schmitz had his 12 game hitting streak snapped in game two.
GAME 1 Morris got a great effort from
Michael Dockendorf in game one as he went all seven innings allowing just three hits and one run. The offense scored 11 runs for Dockendorf on ten hits; Northwestern aided the Cougars by committing six errors and allowing four unearned runs.
In the bottom of the first UMM struck for four runs on four hits all with two outs.
Jackson Gessell drew a walk before
Donnie Mavencamp and
Christian Korlath had back-to-back singles. Korlath's single put the Cougars up one, driving in Gessell.
Willie Fust delivered a single through the left side driving in Mavencamp.
Chandler Erickson had the big hit in the inning doubling to left and scoring both Korlath and Fust.
Jake Schmitz had an RBI double in the second inning to drive in
Ryan Wynn. In the third inning Northwestern committed three errors helping the Cougars score a pair of runs on two hits. The rally came with two outs once again. A fielding error by the short stop allowed the first run to score, this coming after an error by the catcher allowed Fust to move up to third. The second run of the inning scored on a muffed catch by the second baseman allowing Erickson to score, this happened as Ellingworth stole second.
Northwestern got a run in the fourth, coming on sac fly to right with one out. The Cougars would respond with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the game away. With runners on first and third Erickson hit a grounder to third, the Eagles got the force at second but the relay to first went wide and Mavencamp scored on the play. Wynn came to the plate with runners on second and third and singled to center scoring both Erickson and Ellingworth. The final run of the inning scored on a throwing error after Terres singled to left.
GAME 2 The second game of the doubleheader was similar to the first game except it was Northwestern's pitcher who was in control. Troy Nelson allowed just two hits over seven innings of work and shutting out Morris to earn the complete game victory.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the third. The Eagles would score a run on a one out sac fly to right field. They tacked on another run in the top of the fourth after a two out triple to right field.
The game got out of hand in the seventh inning when Northwestern scored ten runs on seven hits and three Cougar errors. Starter
Todd Woelfel left the game after six and a third with the Cougars trailing 5-0 but his bullpen did not do him any favors. The Cougars needed three pitchers to get the final two outs of the inning, which did not happen until the Eagles had scored seven more runs, three unearned.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow at noon to wrap up the three game set.
