Mankato, Minn. – The Polars baseball team faced off with the UMAC leading Bethany Lutheran Vikings in a doubleheader on Saturday and split winning game one 13-10 and dropping game two 9-2. 

Game one was an offensive battle with the Polars striking first knocking in 6 runs in the second inning on six hits. The 6-0 lead was matched by Bethany Lutheran in the bottom of the 4th when they retook the lead 8-6. Crown answered with a crooked number in the 5th inning when Tyler Bloom hit a grand slam to open it up 12-8. The Polars held on to win 13-10 as Drew Girtz shut the door in the 9th with the bases loaded. 

Aidan Volk-Specht started and pitched 3.2 innings. Quentin Holmes earned the win in relief as he pitched 2.1 innings allowing just 1 earned run. Danny Gallardo and Drew Girtz also took the mound in the contest. Bloom totaled 5 RBI's with 2 hits. Tyler Olson and Girtz both had 4 hits in the game. 

Game two was a pitcher's duel early on as neither team pushed across any runs through the first five innings of play. The Vikings struck first in the 6th and took the 7-0 lead heading into the 8th. Crown pushed across two runs but couldn't catch up and fell 9-2. 

Ryan Vondracek pitched 6 innings and allowed just 2 earned runs. Jackson Phillipp and Brett Torbeck also took the mound in the second game of the day. Olson went 2-3 leading the Crown offense. 

The Polars move to 13-12 on the season and 8-4 in UMAC play and will next hit the road for a doubleheader against Saint John's in Collegeville, Minnesota on Monday April 14th starting at 4:30pm.