(Pictured right-Greg Roth connects for a base it in game 1 against MLC Tuesday)
(Story by: Zach Koenig)
Morris, MN—Despite losing one game 9-4, the University of Minnesota-Morris baseball team was able to sneak by Martin Luther 2-1 in the other contest, salvaging a split on Tuesday.
The first contest saw Nik Randall (So. Burnsville, MN) take the mound for the Cougars, setting down Martin Luther easily in the first two innings.
In the third inning, however, a Martin Luther single was followed by an RBI double, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The Cougars did not stay down for long, though, as Kevin Pope (Sr. Ely, MN) who reached on an error, and Nick Hervin (Sr. Cold Spring, MN), who reached on a fielder’s choice, both scored on a double from Greg Roth (Sr. Cold Spring, MN).
Up 2-1, UMM did not add to their offensive tally for the rest of the contest, but it would not matter, as Randall held the visitors scoreless for the duration. Randall improved to 2-2 in tossing the first complete-game of the season for UMM, pitching seven innings and allowing just seven hits and one earned run.
Roth (2-3, 2 RBI) led the offense in the victory, while Peterson, Nick Bacon (Fr.), and Matt Throngard (So. Grantsburg, WI) rounded out UMM’s box score with one hit apiece.
Minnesota-Morris again got off on the right foot in the second game, as a single from Peterson and a double from Hervin preceded Roth’s RBI sacrifice fly.
A Cougar error allowed Martin Luther to tie the score at 1-1 in the top of the second inning, but the stalemate would not last long.
In the bottom of the third inning, Hervin singled, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a Dan Folie (Jr. Fridley, MN) double to give UMM a 2-1 later. Kirby Marquart (Sr. Hancock, MN) then tripled to left center, scoring Folie and increasing the lead to 3-1.
In the fifth inning, the visitors took advantage of two Cougar errors and scored four runs on four hits with UMM starter Roth on the mound.
Though Minnesota-Morris added a single run in the fifth inning when Roth singled and was doubled home by Marquart, putting UMM within a run at 5-4, Martin Luther again put up a four-spot in the sixth inning, where the score would stay for the rest of the contest.
Roth (1-1) was tagged with the loss, pitching five and a third innings and allowing ten hits and eight runs (although only three were earned). Lee Arvold (Fr. Blaine, MN) pitched the final inning and a third in relief, allowing one earned run on four hits.
Starring offensively for the Cougars were Marquart (3-4, 2 RBI), Folie (2-4, 2 R), Roth (2-4, 1 RBI), and Hervin (2-4, 1 R). Also collecting single hits were Peterson, Pope, Throngard, and Bacon.
With the split, UMM is now 7-16 on the season and 2-6 in the UMAC.
 |  |
| Minnesota-Morris | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Martin Luther | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| Game 1 |
Box Score
| |
| Minnesota-Morris | 4 | 13 | 5 |
| Martin Luther | 9 | 14 | 0 |
| Game 2 |
Box Score
