CHICAGO – University of Chicago's baseball program powered its way to two run-rule victories over Knox College in Midwest Conference (MWC) play on a blustery Wednesday afternoon at J. Kyle Anderson Field.

The Maroons downed Knox with six combined home runs in two games, winning 16-4 and 18-8 to move to 10-8 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Erik Rindner led the way offensively with a combined two homers, seven hits and 10 RBI.

Game One 

UChicago trailed 2-0 before its first at-bats, but wasted little time in erasing that deficit with three first-inning runs. Rindner delivered an RBI single which scored Braden Jirovec before the next batter, Michael Gladden, launched the Maroons first long ball of the day, putting them in front 3-2.

Down 4-3 after 2.5 innings, UChicago's offense exploded for six in the bottom of the third and then tacked on three in the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the sixth. Rindner and Josh Peyton both hit three-run homers in the third. Richard Lu joined the home run parade in the sixth with a solo shot to account for the Maroons' four game one home runs.

Phil Hogan (2-1) earned the victory with two scoreless innings in relief. Kirk Waller also threw two scoreless while striking out three to seal the result. Peyton and Rindner each had five RBI in the opening game.

Game Two 

The Maroon bats continued to put on a show in the second game, scoring seven runs in the first two innings. Rindner hit his second three-run homer of the day in the first, scoring Jonathan Zeevi and Jirovec. 

Jirovec knocked in two with a single in the second, which was followed by RBI singles from Gladden and Blane Soper to put UChicago up four after three innings, 7-3. Knox did battle back within two in its half of the fourth, but the Maroons immediately responded with three more in the botton of the fourth. 

UChicago extended its advantage with four in the fifth and two in the sixth to seal its second run-rule victory of the day. Jack Sharp hit a three-run homer in the fourth for the Maroons' sixth homer of the afternoon.

Tyler Sarkisian (1-0) picked up the win with 2.0 scoreless innings in relief. Ethan Docter and Kason Pelz were also effective in finishing off the victory with an inning each.

The Maroons continue MWC play with a three-game series, hosting Illinois College on April 7-8. UChicago will play a single game on Friday, April 7 at 2 p.m. CT followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, April 8, which begins at Noon CT.