The Muhlenberg baseball team scored five runs in the first inning and went on to defeat Clarkson, 8-3.

The Mules completed their three-day stretch of games in Florida against teams from New York with a 3-2 record, running their season record to 8-2. That's their best 10-game record since the 2012 team opened 9-1.

Seniors Donovan Brady and Will Nomura combined for the win on the mound. Although Brady allowed nine hits in his six innings, he gave up just two runs in his first start in two years. He recorded the third out with a runner in scoring position in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings.

Nomura came on in the top of the seventh with the Mules leading 5-2 and the first two Knights batters aboard via a bunt hit and a walk. He quickly defused the jam with a strikeout and a 5-4-3 double play. Pictured above is sophomore Jack Kent turning the double play at second base.

Nomura worked the final two innings to close out the win, becoming the third different Muhlenberg pitcher to record a save this season.

The Mules capitalized on a Clarkson error to score their first five runs. They loaded the bases with nobody out on two hit batters and a single by freshman Aidan Legner. Senior Thomas Rodgers hit a ground ball to third that resulted in a force at home, but the catcher threw the ball away attempting to complete the double play, allowing two runs to score. 

Junior Jake Swerdloff singled in Rodgers, and senior Ryan Gilbert capped Muhlenberg's seventh five-run inning of the season with a two-run single. 

The Mules added insurance runs in their final two at-bats, on a two-run double by Swerdloff in the seventh and a sacrifice fly by senior Danny Monzo in the eighth.

Swerdloff finished 3-for-4, a home run away from the cycle. Ridgers hit a pair of doubles, and Legner went 2-for-4.