AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Morris baseball team fell to Bethany College 3-1 in the RussMatt Invitational Thursday morning in Auburndale, Fla.
 
Tyler Moriarty started the game with a leadoff single to right-center. He advanced 90 feet after stealing second but was later picked off, keeping the game scoreless in the first.
 
Kellan Oligmueller recorded his first collegiate hit with a single to left field in the second inning. An error advanced him to second. Aidan Moran doubled down the right-field line, scoring Oligmueller for the opening run of the game. Breckin Silvain, on the mound, pitched three scoreless innings to keep UMM on top.
 
A dropped third strike extended the inning for the Bison in the fourth. Bethany then capitalized with a two-run double to take the lead. Peyton Neadeau entered the game in the fifth inning. BC loaded the bases, but the Cougars were able to get out of the inning to keep the game at 2-1.
 
Ben Meuser had a leadoff triple to start the seventh inning, but the following three batters went down in order, leaving the tying run on base. The Bison pushed their lead to 3-1 after the eighth, and a one-two-three ninth inning for the Cougars finalized the score.
 
Moriarty, Meuser, Oligmueller, and Moran accounted for the four hits for UMM. Meuser and Moran each had an extra-base hit with a triple and double, respectively. Meuser also reached base another time by drawing a walk, along with Blake Imhoff.
 
On the mound, Silvain pitched four innings, striking out two batters, walking three, and allowing two hits with zero earned runs. Neadeau pitched the final four innings, striking out three batters and giving up one earned run.
 
The Cougars will play a doubleheader on Saturday as they take on Saint Joseph's College of Maine with first pitch scheduled for 8:15 a.m.