Green Knights Fall Twice at MWC Classic

From Sports Information Director, April 11, 2014 | Softball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - St. Norbert College lost its first two games at the Midwest Conference Classic, losing to Illinois College 8-6 in eight innings and 10-3 to Monmouth College.

The Green Knights (7-12, 2-2 MWC) rallied from a 6-1 deficit in the opener to tie the game but lost when the Lady Blues scored twice in the eighth inning. Codi Jenshak had an RBI single in the fifth inning. Alex Kohnle had an RBI double in the sixth, followed by a Tayler Long RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Samantha Gross.

St. Norbert tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI single by MacKenzie Hazen. Illinois College's Courtney Kwasnitza homered in the top of the eighth inning to give the Lady Blues the lead.

Jenshak, Hazen and Long were all 2-for-4 for St. Norbert. Morgan Rusch took the loss, allowing 14 hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

In the nightcap, St. Norbert scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-0 lead before the Scots answered with seven runs in the fifth inning and three runs in the sixth inning to take control.

Emily Laufer had an RBI triple to start the fifth-inning rally, while Long followed with an RBI double. Long later scored on a wild pitch. Monmouth scored seven runs on seven hits and two St. Norbert errors in the bottom half of the fifth inning.

Laufer was 2-for-3 to lead St. Norbert, which had six hits. Brianna Byrne took the loss, allowing five hits with one walk and one strikeout in four-plus innings of work.