NEW ULM, Minn. -- It was a fireworks display in game two of today's twinbill, as the Sabercats split the doubleheader at Martin Luther in style, taking a 17-11 win away from the Knights on a day they won't quickly forget.
The 17-run mark was the most in a game for the program in 13 years, and a whole pack of Sabercats set career firsts or career records in the thrilling contest. But that offensive explosion came after a defensive battle in the opening game of the doubleheader, where Judson Martin reached second all-time in program history for career strikeouts, increasing his tally to 110. Martin Luther took the opener 4-2 while Martin pitched all 6 innings for the Sabercats, giving up just 3 earned runs.
The bats came alive in game two, as Tim Wine got his college hits accounts started in style. The freshman smacked an RBI double to bring home Tim Nickels in the second inning, and the Sabercats were on the board. Maranatha didn't know how to apply the brakes, as they scored 11 runs in the second and third innings combined. Wine's double was followed by a 2-RBI double from Emerson Pease, who led the Sabercats with 5 RBIs on the day.
The biggest boom of them all came off the bat of Don Wheeler, who bombed one to left field for his first career home run. That was the cap of the scoring in the second inning, as the Sabercats brought the heat to a cold April day in Minnesota.
Pease got things started in the third with a 2-RBI single, and Joe Anderson added his second RBI single of the day in the next at-bat.
A sacrifice fly from Jonathan Jeske and RBI singles from Nickels and Wine comprised a 3-run offering in the top of the fifth for Maranatha, whose only scare in the ballgame came when the Knights clawed their way back to make it a three-run game going into the top of the 7th.
Jeske started that inning off with another double, and hits from Wine and Pease sparked 3 more runs in the top of the seventh, capping off a day to remember for the Sabercats, a split of the Martin Luther series, and the fourth win of the season.
OVERVIEW
- Game One Results: Maranatha 2-4 Martin Luther
- Game Two Results: Maranatha 17-11 Martin Luther
- Venue: Martin Luther College
- Location: New Ulm, Minnesota
- Records: MBU (4-16), MLC (6-16)
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STATS
- Martin: Now has 110 career strikeouts, good enough for 2nd all-time in program history
- Pease: Career-high 5 RBIs
- Wheeler: First career home run
- Pittsenbarger: Career-high 3 hits
- Wine: First career hit(s), RBI double
- MBU: Most runs in a game since 2012
- MBU: Tied for 9th all-time for runs in a game (program history)
- Box Score (Game 1)
- Box Score (Game 2)
- Last Time: The Sabercats split a four-game series with Martin Luther in 2016
- Series: The series is now tied 3-3
OPPONENTS
- Martin Luther competes in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (NCAA DIII)
NEXT
The Sabercats have a week off before hosting Blackburn College next Tuesday at 3:00 P.M. Follow at mbusabercats.com/schedule.
