DAVENPORT, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Morris baseball team won its first game at the RussMatt Invitational by defeating Principia College 18–6 Sunday afternoon in Davenport, Fla. The Cougars started scoring early with Trevor Haberman hitting a grand slam in the first inning.
 
Landen Meyerdirk started the game for UMM with a one-out single to left field followed by Ben Meuser drawing a four-pitch walk. Kellan Oligmueller singled to third to drive in the opening run. Another four-pitch walk, this time by Peyton Neadeau, loaded the bases. With three runners on, Haberman hit a grand slam to give UMM a 5–0 lead after the top of the first.
 
Meuser increased the lead in the second inning to six after a double scored Meyerdirk from second base. Principia tripled in the bottom of the inning before Peyton Gilchrist struck out the following batter before any damage could be done.
 
Neadeau drew a leadoff walk in the third inning and would come around to score after an error to push the lead to 7–0 after three innings. In the fourth inning, three straight Cougar walks from Oligmueller, Neadeau, and Bradie Black loaded the bases, but UMM left them stranded.
 
The Panthers cut into the lead with five runs in the fourth. Meyerdirk led off the sixth inning with a single to right field then stole second. Meuser reached after drawing a walk, then the baserunners advanced on a passed ball. Neadeau restored a four-run edge after clearing the bases with a single to center field.
 
Caleb Walker started the seventh with a single then advanced to scoring position on a passed ball. A groundout moved Walker to third and Meyerdirk put runners on the corners with a two-out walk. Meuser scored Walker with a single and Oligmueller doubled, bringing the score to 11–5. An error scored two more runs as Minnesota Morris grew the lead to eight. Principia got a run back in the bottom of the inning.
 
The top of the eighth inning started with walks from Haberman and Grayson Van Nelson, and Walker loaded the bases with a single. The hits continued as Tyler Moriarty, Meyerdirk, and Meuser all drove in runs with singles. Neadeau scored the final run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Juna Bess pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Cougars to secure the 18–6 win.
 
Minnesota Morris scored a season-high 18 runs on a season-high 15 hits. Meyerdirk and Meuser led the team with three hits each. Haberman hit his first home run of the season and, along with Meuser, led the team with four RBIs. Meyerdirk scored a game-high five runs. Along with the 14 hits, UMM drew 11 walks with Aidan Moran leading the team with three.
 
Gilchrist started the game on the mound, pitching 4.1 innings with three strikeouts while only giving up two earned runs. Zach Anderson earned his first win with the Cougars after pitching two innings. Bess did not allow a run in 1.2 innings of work while giving up only one hit.
 
The Cougars conclude their time at the RussMatt Invitational on Monday as they play Simpson College at 10 a.m.