Green Knights Drop Pair to Open Season

From Sports Information Director, March 21, 2016 | Softball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

CLERMONT, Fla. - St. Norbert College opened its season with a pair of losses, falling 6-5 to Worcester State University and 5-1 to North Central (Ill.) College.

St. Norbert couldn't come all the way back against Worcester State, which held leads of 3-1 and 5-2.

Worcester State scored two runs in the first inning and held that lead until Tia Danforth led off the top of the fourth inning with a home run. The Lancers answered with a run in the fourth before St. Norbert scored again in the fifth when Danforth had a two-out run-scoring single to get to within 3-2.

Worcester State scored two runs in its half of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead, but the Green Knights got a pair of runs in the sixth inning aided by a pair of Lancer errors. Worcester State scored an insurance run in the sixth inning to take a 6-4 lead. Emily Laufer hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the seventh, but the Green Knights would not get another baserunner.

Danforth and Gina Mastrodomenico both had two hits for the Green Knights, who totaled six hits. Francesca Marrese took the loss, allowing seven hits and five runs in five innings.

Against North Central, the Cardinals scored one run in the first and fourth innings and then had a three-run home run by Andrea Starr in the top of the seventh to take a 4-0 lead. Mastrodomenico had an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for St. Norbert, which left the bases loaded to end the game.

Mastrodomenico was 2-for-3 for St. Norbert, which had five hits. Lexi LeCalsey took the complete-game loss for the Green Knights, allowing nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts.