MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris baseball team held on to defeat North Central University 9-6 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Monday afternoon in Morris, Minn.
 
Minnesota Morris improves to 14-13 overall and 10-4 in the conference, while the Rams drop to 5-23 overall and 1-11 in conference play.
 
After an infield single and a walk, the Cougars turned a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the first inning scoreless. Landen Meyerdirk led things off for the Cougars with a double. Ryan McGie followed with a two-out walk to put two on, but both runners were left stranded.
 
Trever Haberman started the second with a leadoff walk, with Peyton Neadeau singling to put two on with no outs. Aidan Moran laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners before Caleb Walker drove in the opening run of the contest.
 
The Rams drew level in the third with a sacrifice fly. In the fourth inning, the Cougars threatened again. Neadeau led off with a ground-rule double, and Moran added another sacrifice bunt to move him to third. Walker was hit by a pitch, and Meyerdirk drew a walk to load the bases. Tyler Moriarty singled to left field to give the Cougars the lead, driving in a pair of runs. After four innings, UMM led 3-1.
 
An error in the fifth inning kept the inning alive for NCU. They took advantage, scoring on the error, and a hit by pitch with the bases loaded tied the game at 3-3. The Rams then took the lead on a fielder's choice.
 
To start the bottom of the fifth, McGie singled to right field. After a groundout and a walk, the Cougars had runners on the corners with two outs. Luke McHugh entered as a pinch hitter and singled to tie the game at 4-4. The lead swung back to the Cougars when Walker doubled to center, driving in two more runs to give Minnesota Morris a 6-4 lead after five innings.
 
Bradie Black reached after being hit by a pitch. The lead grew to four when Haberman sent the ball over the left-field fence. Neadeau and Grayson Van Nelson each reached via walk, and a wild pitch scored Neadeau, making the score 9-4 after seven.
 
The Rams loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with no outs. Aidan Powell recorded one out before hitting a batter to force in a run. Breckin Silvain then entered and recorded the final outs to earn the save in the 9-6 victory.
 
The Cougars totaled 10 hits, with McGie, Neadeau, and Walker each recording two. Five of the hits went for extra bases, including a home run by Haberman and doubles from Meyerdirk, McGie, Neadeau, and Walker. Neadeau also drew a pair of walks.
 
On the mound, Parker Gilchrist pitched 4.1 innings, striking out two batters while allowing one earned run. Emmett Campbell earned his first collegiate win, pitching 2.2 innings with two strikeouts and no earned runs allowed. Silvain earned his fifth save of the season, recording the final two outs and striking out the last batter.
 
The Cougars are back in action tomorrow (Tuesday) as they host Martin Luther College for a 3 p.m. game.