MEQUON, Wis. - Marian University baseball (20-21, 14-6 NACC) earned an 18-12 victory over Lakeland to open the NACC North Tournament.

The Marian offense wasted no time putting up 13 runs in the first three innings.  A three-run homer from senior Sean Meyer followed by a two-RBI single from sophomore Riley Palmquist highlighted a six-run first frame.  Palmquist then hit a bases-clearing double in the second to put the Sabres ahead 10-3.  After the Muskies tied the game at 10-10 in the top of the third, Meyer hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot, that gave the Sabres the lead for good.

Between innings four to nine the Sabre pitching staff was able to stabilize and hold the Muskies to just two runs.  In that same span, the Sabre offense would hit three sacrifice flies along with a run-producing double from Meyer, and a double from senior Nick Bastien that plated a run.

Senior Taylor Middaugh (6-2) earned the victory tossing the final 5.0 innings in relief holding the Muskies to just one run and six hits.  Six different hitters had multi-hit games and every position player scored a run in the victory.  Meyer finished going 4-for-6 with six driven in and three runs scored, while Palmquist also drove in five runs.

Marian takes on CUW tomorrow, Saturday, May 15, at 2 p.m. in the winner's bracket match-up.  With a win the Sabres would punch their ticket to Championship Sunday, but a defeat would force Marian to play at 6 p.m. in an elimination game.