Late Run Lifts St. Norbert Past Nationally Ranked Rowan

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, March 18, 2017 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - St. Norbert College scored a run in the top of the ninth inning to lift it to a 3-2 win over nationally ranked Rowan University at Chain of Lakes Stadium.

The Green Knights (5-4) snapped a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth inning. Tyler Banovich opened the frame with a single. Sean Grant sacrificed Banovich to second, with Banovich moving to third base on a wild pitch. Griffin Jack walked to put runners on the corners for pinch-hitter Jack Maastricht. Maastricht then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Banovich.

St. Norbert relief pitcher Blake Rutherford then set down Rowan (10-5) in order in the bottom of the ninth to lock up the win over the No. 21-ranked team by D3baseball.com. Rutherford pitched five innings of scoreless relief to get the win, allowing two hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Green Knights scored in the top of the third inning after Derek Klegin singled with one out and then promptly stole second and third. Hunter Larson's groundout to second base brought home Klegin. Rowan answered in the bottom of the inning on a Shane Brown RBI single.

The Profs took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a Frank Rose sacrifice fly, but St. Norbert knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning. Sean Ferraro reached second base on a throwing error and was sacrificed to third. Following a hit batsman, Klegin's single drove in Ferraro. Neither team would have a quality scoring chance until Rowan had runners on the corners with two outs in the eighth, but Rutherford worked out of the jam.

St. Norbert had five hits, getting two each from Klegin and Banovich.