Green Knights Sweep Lawrence to Advance to MWC Tournament

From Sports Information Director, May 3, 2014 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GREEN BAY - St. Norbert College swept Lawrence University by scores of 15-3 and 9-3 in a Midwest Conference doubleheader at Green Bay Southwest High School's VandenPlas Field to advance to the MWC Tournament for the 14th time in 16 years.

The Green Knights (18-14, 8-6 MWC North) advanced by virtue of its two wins and Beloit College dropping two games to Ripon College. The Buccaneers (6-8) could still end tied with St. Norbert in the conference standings, but the Green Knights have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

St. Norbert got a big inning early in the first game by plating six runs in the second inning on just one hit. Adam Enwiya was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Troy Rottier followed with a grand slam. Chad Ljunggren finished off the big inning with a sacrifice fly. Enwiya added a sacrifice fly in the third inning.

Lawrence got two runs back in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 7-3, but the Green Knights scored eight runs on five hits in the bottom of the seventh to end the game. Alex Larsen socked a three-run home run, while Enwiya added an RBI double. Cameron Jerina drove in a run with a bunt single, and Derek Klegin ended the game with a three-run home run for his first collegiate round-tripper.

Kevin Nutley went the route to earn his fifth win of the season, walking two and striking out six. Rottier was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Larsen was 1-for-2 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Jerina stole three bases and Larsen two.

St. Norbert took a 3-0 lead in the nightcap with a three-run second inning. Spencer Larson had a sacrifice fly, while Klegin had a two-out, two-run double. The Vikings got one run in the top of the fourth, but St. Norbert scored three times in the bottom half to take a 6-1 edge.

Enwiya hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, while Ljunggren had an RBI single in the eighth to close out the St. Norbert scoring.

Travis Mason was 2-for-5 with two doubles to lead the Green Knights, who had nine hits. Larsen had three stolen bases.

Jake McMahon worked the first seven innings for the Green Knights, allowing four hits with two walks and six strikeouts.