Green Knights Sweep CCIW Foe North Central

From Sports Information Director, March 21, 2014 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - St. Norbert College picked up a big doubleheader sweep with wins of 3-2 and 5-4 over College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe North Central College at Chain of Lakes Stadium.

The Green Knights (4-3) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh in the first game to win, and then held off a North Central (4-3) rally in the bottom of the seventh in the nightcap to collect the sweep. It was St. Norbert baseball's first sweep of a CCIW opponent since beating Wheaton College twice on March 12, 2002.

North Central took the early lead in the opener, getting two runs in the top of the first, but the Cardinals would not score again. The Green Knights answered with one run in the bottom of the first, with Chad Ljunggren scoring on a Nick Pierre sacrifice fly, and neither team would score until the bottom of the seventh.

Alex Larsen led off the inning with a walk and was sacrificed to second. Troy Rottier's pinch-hit RBI single tied the game at 2-2. Cameron Jerina and Derek Klegin singled to load the bases. Ljunggren then hit a grounder to shortstop, with the throw to home plate being unable to retire Rottier to end the game.

Brett Nohr worked all seven inning, allowing eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts. St. Norbert had nine hits, with Jerina registering the only multi-hit game at 2-for-3.

In the nightcap, St. Norbert scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Rottier hit an RBI double, Pierre had a sacrifice fly, and Adam Enwiya drilled a run-scoring triple.

The Cardinals responded with two runs in the fourth to tie the game 3-3 but St. Norbert answered with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Rottier had an RBI single in the fifth, and Jose Godinez plated a run on an infield error in the sixth.

North Central scored a run in the sixth inning, and things got interesting in the bottom of the seventh. The Cardinals drew two walks to open the inning. Following a sacrifice and an intentional walk, North Central grounded to Ljunggren at shortstop, who started a game-ending double play.

Jake McMahon went the first six innings to get the win, allowing eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Kevin Nutley worked the seventh inning for the save.

St. Norbert had eight hits. Rottier and Ljunggren were both 2-for-4.