ASHLAND, Wis. – The Northland College Baseball team fell in a nonconference doubleheader 12-4 and 8-6 against the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Wednesday afternoon in Ashland, Wis.
 
Northland loaded the bases in the first inning with the first three batters from free passes. Bryce Smith scored the first run of the game scoring on a wild pitch. Nolan Hemmesch grounded out to second but scored Vinny Troccoli and Tyler Murphy added the third run of the inning, scoring on another wild pitch.
 
The Blugold cut the lead to one in the third inning and tied the game up in the fourth. The Jacks recorded two outs in the fifth but a two-out double scored two runs to take the lead and finished the inning with two more to go up 7-3.
 
The Jacks scored one more run in the sixth on another wild pitch, this time Luke Maxwell scoring. Northland's offense stopped there as UWEC scored five in the seventh to win 12-4.
 
The Jacks recorded four hits in the loss all coming from different student-athletes: Smith, Maxwell, Dezmon LeTexier, and Andy Linder. Northland drew 10 free passes, from seven walks and three hit by pitches. Troccoli was hit twice and Kurt Price drew two walks.
 
Ethan Boyce started on the mound. The freshman recorded a season-high five strikeouts in five innings.
 
In game two, UW-Eau Claire took the lead in the second inning with three runs. Northland responded in the third with three runs of its own. The inning started with a double from Smith. Smith would come around and score off a sacrifice fly from Peyton Solberg. A single from Kurt Price leveled the game.
 
In the fourth, the Blugolds retook the lead with three more runs. Luke Maxwell cut the lead to two with a single in the fifth, scoring Solberg. A double from Matt Simpson in the sixth made it a one-run game. In the seventh, the Jacks had the tying run on third base with one out. A check swing bloop single from Parker Williams tied the game to force extra innings the the scheduled seven-inning game.
 
The Blugolds scored two in the eighth and the Jacks could not follow suit, falling 8-6.
 
The Jacks tallied eight hits in game two. Simpson and Williams led the team with two hits. Both of Simpson's were double, along with Smith having a two-base knock. Price led the team in walks and RBIs with two.
 
Claudio Aguilar started the game and pitched five innings with two strikeouts. Peyton Solberg pitched the final three innings with three ks and gave up two earned runs.
 
The Jacks return to Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play this weekend with a three-game series against North Central University with the first game on Sunday at 2 p.m.
 
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.