The Muhlenberg baseball team came back after dropping the first game and in the second game to split a doubleheader with New Jersey City.

The Mules (6-10) lost the opener, 4-1, and trailed 3-1 in the nightcap before scoring in three straight innings en route to a 9-6 win.

Muhlenberg rapped out 14 hits in the second game, with junior Brendan Hughes going 3-for-3 and sophomore Thomas Pranzo adding a 3-for-4, 4-RBI performance. 

Pranzo's RBI double in the third brought the Mules to within 3-2. In the fourth, consecutive two-out RBI singles by junior Aidan Legner, Hughes and Pranzo gave Muhlenberg its first lead of the day, at 5-3. 

Sophomore Mason Mehling led off the fifth with a triple, igniting an inning in which the Mules batted around and scored four runs. After seniors Jonathan Toth and Ryan Riccio hit consecutive RBI singles, they advanced to second and third on a groundout. With two outs, the Gotchic Knights (5-7) elected to walk Hughes intentionally, but Pranzo foiled the strategy with a two-run opposite-field single to make the score 9-3.

New Jersey City scored three times in the top of the sixth, but junior Ethan Brochin came on in relief to retire the side 1-2-3 in the seventh for his third save.

Freshman Luke Foley earned the win in his first career start. The southpaw (pictured above) worked a career-best six innings, striking out three and walking none. He did his best work in the middle innings, allowing only two baserunners in the third, fourth and fifth to give the offense a chance to come back.

Hughes hit two doubles and drove in the Mules' lone run in the opener. Senior Ryan Friesen took the loss despite working six innings and allowing only five hits and two earned run.

Legner had 3 hits and scored 3 runs in the two games.