Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MORRIS, Minn. -- The North Central University (NCU) baseball team traveled up north for a double header against the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM). The Cougars bested the Rams, first at 9-1 and then at 17-14 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC).

Game One Recap

It was a quick first inning for the Ram's offense when the Cougars snagged three outs in a row and UMM took an early one-run lead. Matthew Oakley (Concord, NC, International Christian School of Budapest) started up the offense for NCU with a homerun to left field in the second inning. That homerun was all the offensive action the Rams would see until the fifth inning. While the Cougars did score twice in the bottom of the second inning, they were as productive as the Rams in the third and the fourth innings. NCU's pitcher, Christian Rodriguez (Tuscon, AZ, Catalina Foothills High School), threw three strikeouts between the third and fourth inning helping the Rams hold UMM to limited runs. Rodriguez threw nine strikeouts total. Nate Boyer (Tempe, AZ, Seton Catholic High School) and Daniel Montana (Tucson, AZ, Cienega High School) both got on base with a single each in the fifth inning but never converted those hits to runs. The Cougars scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and then one run in every inning until the game was finished. NCU could not respond and UMM ended up winning 9-1. 

Game Two Recap

The Cougars started out game two really well by scoring five runs in the opening inning and scoring two more in the second inning. While NCU did put a run in the third inning when Teyghan Hovland's (Austin, MN, Austin High School) single brought in Boyer, UMM looked like they had the game secured after they went up 10-1 at the bottom of the fourth inning. But the fifth inning is when the Rams decided to rally. The four-run inning started off by a single from Julian Encinas (Tucson, AZ, Amphitheater High school) to bring in Kyle Huerth (Moorpark, CA, Moorpark High School). Then Rodriguez singled to bring in Jack Parker (Bordentown, NJ, Bordentown Regional High School) followed by a single from Oakley allowing Encinas to score. Boyer ended the inning with a single to left field to bring in Oakley to bring the Rams within five runs of the Cougars. Although NCU's offense picked up, their defense still permitted three UMM runs to created another gap in the score. 

The sixth inning aided the Rams on both offense and defense. To start, NCU's Huerth ran home to give the Rams another run. Next, Oakley homered to left field, his second of the day, recording three more runs and then Kristian Garcia (Las Vegas, LV, Palo Verde High School) also found his way home to give the final run of the inning. Furthermore, NCU held the Cougars scoreless as center fielder Huerth caught two fly balls. Parker, Encinas, and Boyer all scored unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning as the Rams gained the lead for the first time in the game, 14-13. That quickly changed as UMM scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh and one more in the eighth inning. NCU was unable to get anything else going on the offensive end falling just short of the second game comeback. 

With just a few games left in the season, the Rams have a total record of 6-15, 3-10 in the conference.

Key Performers

• Recorded five RBI's and three runs in total on the day, Matthew Oakley hit two homeruns in the doubleheader.
• Noah Block went three for four from home plate adding three RBI's and one run.
• Pitcher Christian Rodriguez threw nine strikeouts in seven innings.

Looking Ahead

The Rams head right back into action with a home game against fellow UMAC opponent Northland College at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, May 4. NCU split with Northland previously in the season. All fans are encouraged to tune into official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages for updates on the baseball team and much more information.