St. Norbert Splits to Take Series From Ripon

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, April 9, 2017 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

RIPON - St. Norbert College salvaged a split of its Midwest Conference North Division doubleheader against Ripon College. The Green Knights dropped the opener 9-8 before rolling to a win in the nightcap 13-4.

The Green Knights (14-6, 6-2 MWC North) took three of the four games in the series with the Red Hawks and head into the Easter break in first place in the division.

St. Norbert jumped out early in the nightcap, scoring single runs in the second and third innings. Griffin Jack scored on an error in the second inning, while Andy Peterik scored in the third when Tyler Banovich was hit with the bases loaded.

The Green Knights broke the game open in the fourth inning with seven runs on five hits as well as Ripon's largesse with three errors. Derek Klegin had an RBI single, Hunter Larson a run-scoring double and Banovich a two-run double in the inning. Ripon would get a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the score 9-1.

Jacob Raeder had a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth for the Green Knights, but the Red Hawks would counter with three runs in the bottom of the inning to cut their deficit to 10-4. St. Norbert got three insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Larson.

Larson was 4-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Jack was 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Klegin and Robbie Dombrowski had two hits apiece. St. Norbert had 15 hits in the game.

Jason Malkowski got the win for the Green Knights, working eight innings while scattering 10 hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

In the opener, Ripon built a 5-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and two runs in the third inning. The Green Knights would rally with three runs in the top of the fifth inning on RBI singles by Raeder and Klegin and a sacrifice fly by Larson.

Ripon would take an 8-3 lead with three runs in the sixth inning, but St. Norbert would battle back again. Three runs would come around in the seventh inning. Two runs came home on a double by Larson, who would later score on an error to cut the deficit to 8-6. St. Norbert tied the game at 8-8 in the eighth inning on Dombrowski's two-run home run.

Ripon would win the game on a single with one out in the bottom of the ninth by Nick Taranto, with Michael Barnes scoring on a close play at the plate.

Dombrowski would go 4-for-4 with three runs scores and two RBIs. Larson was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Malkowski was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. St. Norbert had 13 hits.

Jake McMahon took the loss in relief, allowing an unearned run in 2 2/3 innings pitched. He had one walk and three strikeouts.