ASHLAND, Wis. – The Northland College Baseball team was defeated 15-1 and 5-2 by the University of Northwestern in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon in Ashland, Wis. The Eagles won the series 2-1 over the LumberJacks.
 
The Eagles struck first in the first inning off a sac fly to right field. Northwestern broke the game open in the second with six runs. Northland got one run back in the bottom half of the inning. Bryce Smith came to the plate with the bases loaded. Smith grounded out to the pitcher but scored Zach Ross.
 
The Jacks were held quiet for the remainder of the game as the Eagle took game one 15-1.
 
Northland tallied two hits, both from Ross. Kazdion Mount, Hunter Wicklund, and Kurt Price all drew walks to reach base and Bryce Smith reached first after getting hit by a pitch.
 
Anthony Boyle started on the mound for Northland. The junior pitched 3.1 innings with one strikeout and allowed eight earned runs. Aaron Severson was the winning pitcher after tossing a complete game with six ks.
 
Just like in game one the Eagle scored the opening run in the first. In the second inning, Jay Harris threw out a runner trying to steal to end the inning. UNW added to its lead in the third with three runs and added a fifth in the seventh.
 
Northland started to put together some offense near the end of the game. In the eighth, the Jacks scored their first run after Ross was plunked with the bases loaded. In the ninth Vinny Troccoli scored off the error the cut the lead to 5-2. Northland rally ended there, dropping the contest.
 
The Jacks recorded three hits in game two, all from different student-athletes: Tyler Murphy, Matt Simpson, and Ross. Peyton Solberg, Caden Willis, and Ross reached base from a walk. Wicklund and Willis both swiped a bag in the game. The Jacks' defense turned a double play in the third.
 
Troccoli started game two on the bump. The senior went five innings, with one strikeout and allowed four earned runs. Matthew Traeger finished the game on the mound with one punch out and one earned run.
 
The Jacks are back in action Monday as they take on the College of St. Scholastica.
 
Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.