NEW ULM, Minn.-- North Central fell in two of their three games against Martin Luther College on Tuesday but they managed to end a frustrating piece of Rams baseball history. The NCU win in game two was their first this season and in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play while also putting a stop to a 30 game losing streak.

North Central was alive in all three games of the triple header hosted by the Knights on Tuesday but only found the plays to win in the middle game. Game one saw the Rams trail just 2-0 after five innings but the Knights added a pair in the sixth to make it 4-0 going to the seventh. Sophomore Cody Van Sickle (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) led off the seventh with a base hit and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a strikeout and a groundout that moved Van Sickle to third, another wild pitch allowed him to score but that was all the Rams could get in a 4-1 loss.

Game two saw the Rams get shutout in the first but then jumped out 2-0 in the second. Freshman Taylor Madrinich (West Bend, Wis./West Bend) led off the frame by reaching via hit by pitch. Sophomore Will Rosevear (Canton, Mich./Homeschool) then singled to give the Rams runners at first and second with no outs. After a sacrifice ground out moved the runners up a bag, freshman Matthew Treadwell (Dickinson, Texas/Bay Area) then reached on a fielders choice that allowed Madrinich to score from third. Later in the inning a two out single from freshman David Babcock (Fresno, Calif./Buchanon) knocked in another run to complete the scoring.

Martin Luther then charged back with two in the bottom of the second and following a scoreless third for both teams, took the lead in their part of the fourth with pair of runs. But NCU tied it up in the top of the fifth. Freshman Jordan Hemmesch (Richmond, Minn./Rocori) led off with a single and Cody Van Sickle moved him to third with another single. Taylor Madrinich then reached on a single that scored Hemmesch. After a double play that took out Van Sickle at third freshman Sidney Grimmett (Beebe, Ark./Beebe) walked and Madrinich stole third. Matt Treadwell then singled to score Madrinich and tie the game at 4-4 through five innings.

After a pair of scoreless innings the triple header went into extra innings. The Rams got the bases loaded in the eighth with two outs and plated what would be the winning run was plated when Sidney Grimmett was hit by a pitch. Matthew Treadwell got his first win in a Rams uniform on the mound after he retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning. He gave up three earned runs on nine hits with a strikeout and a walk. The NCU victory broke a 30-game losing streak that dated back to April 26 of last year.

Game game three saw North Central jump out 1-0 in the first when Cody Van Sickle smashed a one-out triple. But the Knights responded to take a 5-1 lead into the fifth inning when the Rams answered back. Jordan Hemmesch knocked in a pair of runs with a triple scored the next play when Cody Van Sickle singled to make it 5-4 after five full innings. 

Martin Luther added a pair in the sixth to take 7-4 lead and that would end up as the final score in the conclusion of the baseball marathon. Cody Van Sickle had a big day at the plate going 8-12 with a triple and 2 RBI. David Babcock was 5-10 on the day. 

North Central will be back in action on Friday to begin a three game weekend series with The College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.). Friday's single game will begin at 5 p.m while Saturday's double-header is slated for a Noon first pitch.