FRANKLIN, Wisconsin – Junior Garrett Willems hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a wild game and secure a doubleheader split for the MSOE baseball team against Benedictine Saturday afternoon at The Rock Complex.

The Raiders (8-8, 1-1 NACC) dropped the opener to the Eagles (8-7, 1-1 NACC) 6-1 before hitting four home runs to claim game two 10-9.

There were five lead changes in game two and just one inning in which neither team scored a run. That inning was the eighth after BenU had tied the game at 9-9 with a single run in the seventh inning.

Sophomore Matt Mohapp (2-1) had worked around a lead-off single to post a scoreless top of the ninth inning and Willems wasted no time in the bottom half of the inning. He led off the frame with a home run to center field to set off a celebration at home plate.

The visitors scored first with a pair of runs in the first inning and junior Owen Burnikel pulled a run back in the bottom half of the inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Unfortunately, the rally ended there as another runner was thrown out also trying to advance.

Freshman D.J. Ellifson gave the Raiders a 3-2 lead with a two-run home run in the third inning, his first collegiate homer. The lead was short-lived as Benedictine, however, responded with a pair of runs in the third inning and tacked on another run in the fourth for a 5-3 lead.

Burnikel undid that damage with a two-out, two-run home run in the fifth inning and Kemp later plated another run with a single it 6-5 Raiders heading to the sixth inning. The teams traded three-run frames in the sixth, with junior Jimmy Carrington's three-run home run making it 9-8.

The Eagles then pulled even in the seventh, setting up Willem's winner in the ninth.

Mohapp worked the final 2.1 innings of relief to pick up the win. He scattered four hits and struck out three without allowing a run.

The Red & White ran into some unfortunate luck and tough pitching in game one. The team put together one run on seven hits despite having a base runner on in each of the nine innings. The Raiders loaded the bases in the first and twice had a runner in scoring position but were unable to score.

The Eagles scored two runs in three different innings, taking a 2-0 lead in the second, expanding their lead to 4-1 in the seventh, and putting the game out of reach at 60-1 in the ninth.

MSOE struck for its lone run in the fifth inning after senior Brandon McCumber led off with a double. Two batters later, Carrington brought him home with a single.

Senior Jacob Roley (1-2) suffered the loss with 8.1 innings of solid work. He allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and struck out five against no walks.

Carrington and junior Ryan Newman finished with two hits each in the game.

The Raiders return to action Sunday with a doubleheader at Concordia Chicago. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.