MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Northland College Baseball team was defeated 1-0 and 6-0 by North Central University in Upper Midwest Atheltic Conference play Monday afternoon in Minneapolis, Minn.
 
In game one, the Rams started the first with a lead-off double. Andrew Birko stopped the damage, sitting down the next three batters to get out of the inning. Birko got his first strikeout of the game in the second, striking out the lead-off batter and ending the winning with another k.
 
Tyler Murphy broke up the perfect game in the fourth inning with a single to center field. The Northland shortstop tried to advance to second but was thrown out for the first out of the inning. Hits from Peyton Solberg and Zach Ross put two runners in scoring position with only one out. Solberg tried to advance on a ball hit to the pitcher but was thrown out at home. The Jacks ended the fourth with runners on the corners.
 
The Rams had two in scoring position in their first batters of the fourth. NCU took the lead after a while pitch—the sole run of the game. Briko got out of the jam with only the one-run scoring.
 
Matthew Traeger entered the game in the eighth inning. The junior had a one-two-three inning with only seven pitches thrown. In the ninth, Northland went down in order to end the game 1-0 for the Rams.
 
The Jacks recorded three hits in game one coming from the top third of the lineup: Murphy, Solberg, and  Ross. Ross had Northland's only extra-base hit with a double. Hunter Wicklund and Vinny Troccoli also reached by drawing a walk.
 
Briko pitched seven innings with three strikeouts, one walk, four hits allowed, and gave up one earned run. Traeger pitched a scoreless eighth inning in relief. For NCU Christian Rodriguez pitched a complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts and only giving three hits.
 
In game two, Dezmon LeTexier was the first base runner of the game drawing a walk in the first. Solberg got the start on the mound and did not allow a hit in the first three innings. Matt Simpson had Norhtland's first hit of the game in the fourth with a single to left field.
 
In the fifth, the Jacks left two stranded after Kazdion Mount walked and Caden Willis had a hit to left field. In the following inning, NC loaded the bases on three walks but was unable to bring the first run of the game home.
 
The Rams broke the deadlock in the seventh. NCU started the inning with a lead-off double, the runner reached third base with two outs. A single brought home the runner. After another two-out single Traeger entered the game. North Central added five more runs in the inning.
 
Simpson started the seventh with a pop-up in the infield that fell and advanced to second base. Ross followed that up with a walk, but the seniors were left on base. The Jacks went down in order in the ninth to end the game 6-0 in favor of North Central.
 
The Jacks had two hits in game two but managed to draw eight walks. Simpson and Willis had the two hits for Northland and LeTexier led the team with three walks with Ross behind him with two.
 
Solberg pitched a scoreless six innings but in the seventh things began to unravel. He ended the day with six strikeouts, a career-high, and gave up four hits and three earned runs. Traeger pitched the final 1.1 innings giving up two hits and three runs, all unearned.
 
The Jacks and Rams conclude the series tomorrow (Tuesday) with the first pitch slated for 10 a.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.