JAMES D. CIMBUREK/P&D Mount Marty catcher Joey Matzke turns to try to tag Mayville State's Mario Grymes during the opening game of their doubleheader Tuesday at Riverside Field. Grymes scored, but the Lancers rallied to win the opener 7-5. Mayville State took the nightcap 13-2. Click to view the Slideshow

The Mount Marty College baseball team opened the home portion of its season with a split against NAIA Region III rival Mayville State Tuesday at Riverside Field.

In the opener, Mount Marty rallied from a 3-1 deficit with a five-run fifth to claim a 7-5 victory.

The Lancers got the early lead when Rand Thygeson doubled and scored on a Zach Lambrechts single.

Mayville State got the run back in the top of the second on a Heath Crawford single, then took the lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings. Kyle Swenson homered in the third to give the Comets the lead, then Crawford added a RBI single in the fourth.

The Lancers got back on track in the bottom of the fourth. Mike Hammonds led off with a single and advanced on an error. Hammonds was caught between third and home, but Justin Siemonsma, who reached on the error, scored on a Stephen Guy groundout.

Mount Marty took control in the fifth. Joey Matzke led off with a single. Daschle Larsen, the courtesy runner, moved up on a Billy McDonald bunt and scored on a Matt Kemp single. After a Thygeson double and an intentional walk to Lambrechts, Hammonds ripped a RBI single, Siemonsma followed with a run-scoring sacrifice fly and Guy ripped a two-run double to give the Lancers a 7-3 lead.

"We've been waiting for that," said Mount Marty head coach Andy Bernatow. "It was good to see."

Mayville State scored two runs on a Ryan Cramer pinch-hit home run in the seventh, but could not complete the comeback.

Kemp, Thygeson and Hammonds each had two hits for Mount Marty. Guy drove in three runs in the win.

Swenson and Crawford had two hits each for Mayville State.

Nick Huston picked up his first win of the season, pitching 3 1/3 innings in relief of Nick Wenande.

"We had two young pups, two freshmen that threw the ball extremely well," Bernatow said. "I think that second game showed how well these guys threw in the first game."

Dan Knox took the loss, giving up seven runs in five innings of work.

In the nightcap, Mayville State broke open a 2-2 game with 11 runs in the fourth and fifth innings to claim a 13-2 victory.

Mayville State took a 2-0 lead, but the Lancers tied the game in the third inning. Trey Krier walked, and Josh Wenande and McDonald were hit by pitches to start the rally. Kemp followed with a two-run single to tie the game.

The Comets responded with seven runs on seven hits in the fourth inning, and four runs on four hits in the fifth.

Brent Rushin went 2-3 with a double and a home run, driving in three, for Mayville State. Jake McLain had a pair of doubles. Erik Scott, Taylor Fuhs, Brock Gnadt, Zachary Schaefer and McLain each had two hits in the win.

Kemp's two-run single in the third and Lambrechts' single in the fourth were the lone Lancer hits.

Gnadt picked up the win. Trey Novotny took the loss.

Mount Marty, 8-13, travels to Dana Saturday and Concordia Sunday in Great Plains Athletic Conference action. Mayville State, 6-13, plays Dakota State today (Wednesday) in Madison.