VERO BEACH, FLA. — The Riverland baseball team split a doubleheader with Massasoit Community College of Mass., the No. 9 ranked team in NJCAA Division III, in Vero Beach, Fla. Thursday.

RCC lost the opener 4-0 and won the nightcap 7-6.

Aaron Palmer blasted his second homerun of the season in the first inning as the Blue Devils (5-2) jumped out to a 7-1 lead after three innings in the second game. But RCC had to hold on as Austin grad Brady Klingfus came in and allowed just one unearned run in the last two innings to get the save.

RCC had just two hits in the opening loss.

“We’re learning and we’re getting better,” RCC head coach Scott Koenigs said. “We’re playing good competition and by the time the tournament comes, we’ll be a pretty darn good team.”

RCC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 2 1

M 0 0 0 1 3 0 X — 4 8 0

RCC pitching: Marcus Kiewel (L, 0-1), 6 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 4 R, 3 ER, 6 K

RCC hitting: Matt Boswell, 1-for-3; Aaron Palmer, 1-for-3; Victor Claudio, 0-for-2, BB; Tyler Krekling, 0-for-1, BB

M 0 1 0 1 1 2 1 — 6 7 1

RCC 4 2 1 0 0 0 X — 7 5 1

RCC pitching: Sixto Saurez (W, 1-0), 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 K; Eric Sandstrom, 1/3 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 ER; Jon Mittag, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 1 K; Brady Klingfus (S), 2 IP, 2 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 HBP

RCC hitting: Donte Bledsoe, 1-for-2, R, BB; Michael Knutson, 0-for-2, RBI, R; Boswell, 2-for-3, double, 2 RBIs; Andrew Schunck, 0-for-2, RBI; Aaron Palmer, 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 R, SB; Jason Kezman, 0-for-1, R, 2 BBs; Krekling, 0-for-2, R, BB