The clutch relief pitching of freshman Will Nomura in his first career appearance nailed down a 4-3 win, giving the Muhlenberg baseball team a split of its doubleheader against Illinois College and a 3-1 start to its Florida trip.

The Blueboys (1-3) scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take the opening game, 5-1.

All seven runs in the nightcap came in the fifth inning. The Mules plated four in the top of the frame, with sophomore Robert Cappadona - named Centennial Conference player of the week earlier in the day - scoring the first on a wild pitch. Sophomore Cameron Miller drove in the second run with a single down the line, then motored around from first base to score behind junior Billy Brittingham on a double by senior Jon Capra.

Illinois College scored three times in the bottom of the inning to close to within one. Nomura took the mound in the bottom of the sixth and got into immediate trouble, walking the first two batters he faced. Senior Matt Riebesell helped him out by pouncing on a bunt in front of the plate to retire the lead runner at third, and Nomura (pictured above) got out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout.

Again in the seventh, Illinois put two runners on base with one out, but Nomura said "no-more-a, " getting a flyout before ending the game with a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch. 

Sophomore Paul Poppert worked the first five innings to earn the win. Miller reached base in all four of his plate appearances, with two singles and two weeks, and sports a lofty .900 on-base percentage through four games.

Sophomore Skyler Petrie drove in Muhlenberg's lone run of the first game with a double. Sophomore Truman Devitt pitched into the sixth inning in his first start of the season, allowing just one run and striking out four. He also made the defensive play of the game, scampering behind the mound to retrieve the ball after a line drive knocked off his glove and throwing the batter out at first.