Minneapolis, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team opened its 2018 season with a 2-0 victory in seven innings over the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) Tuesday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Eagles, receiving votes on this week's D3baseball.com Poll, won their season opener for the third time in the last four seasons. St. Thomas (Minn.), ranked 17th on D3baseball.com, was also playing its season-opener Tuesday.

The second game of the doubleheader was halted in the fifth inning due to the time limit. The teams will attempt to finish the seven-inning game at a later date.

UWL took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in Tuesday's opener. Nate Heili struck out swinging to start the game, but reached first base on a wild pitch. He then advanced to third after a Tommies' throwing error. After a UWL strikeout. Shane Coker's groundout scored Heili with the first run of the season.

The game remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh. Brady Stolzman singled with one out and was replaced by pinch-runner Alex Robson. Luke Schmitt then followed with an RBI double to knock in Robson to make it 2-0.

Mason McMahon (1-0) earned the win for UWL, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out 10. He did not allow a hit until two houts in the bottom of the third. Caleb Willems earned his first save for the Eagles, going 2.2 innings, allowing one walk with one strikeout.

UWL totaled three hits in the game as Stolzman, Schmitt and Zach Carney each recorded one.

Ryan Zimmerman (0-1) suffered the loss for St. Thomas (Minn.), pitching a complete-game. He went 7.0 innings, allowing three hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk with 11 strikeouts.

The Tommies also finished with three hits, one each from Jake Smith, Hunter Hart and Zach Gottfredsen.

UWL returns to action Saturday, March 10 opening its spring trip versus the University of Southern Maine. First pitch is scheduled for noon (Central) in Auburndale, Florida.