La Crosse, Wis. - The Viterbo University Baseball team won its Midwest Collegiate Conference opener on Saturday as the team defeated Ashford University 8-5. The game, which was supposed to be played in Clinton, Iowa, was moved to the Viterbo Outdoor Sports Complex in La Crosse due to inclement weather.

The Saints struck first as Demetric Turner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded allowing a runner to score. Ashford would add two more runs in the first inning to give them an early 3-0 lead. After picking up a run in the fourth inning, Viterbo used a four-run fifth inning to give the V-Hawks a 5-3 lead. Brett Moravec (Jr. - Boulder City, Nev.) highlighted the inning with an RBI double which drove in Brandon Buelow (Jr. - Milwaukee, Wis.).

Viterbo added to their two-run lead in the following inning as Eli Tupuola (Sr. - San Diego, Calif.) led off the inning with a triple before scoring on a wild pitch by Ashford's Nick Davis. Two more V-Hawk runs would come in before Ashford was able to get on the board again in the seventh inning courtesy of a two-run home run by Anthony Misitano.

Drew Farrell (Jr. - Middleton, Wis.) would come in for the final two innings in relief of starting pitcher Nick Lenzendorf (Sr. - Eastman, Wis.) who earned the victory going seven innings allowing four earned runs while striking out five Ashford batters. Farrell picked up the save for the V-Hawks after not allowing a run in his two innings of work.

Offensively the V-Hawks were led by Brett Rettenmeier (Jr. - Cedar Rapids, Iowa) who went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Kyle Dreger (Sr. - Manitowoc, Wis.) and Moravec each added two hits.

The victory improves Viterbo's overall record to 7-9-1 while they start 1-0 in the MCC. The loss drops Ashford's record to 2-13 overall and 0-1 in the MCC.