St. Norbert Tops Utica In Wild Affair to Earn Split

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, March 12, 2018 | Softball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - St. Norbert College salvaged a split on the day, winning a wild 11-9 decision over Utica College after falling earlier in the day 8-0 to Springfield College at the Sunkissed Games.

The Green Knights (1-3) hit three home runs on top of Utica committing 10 errors to post the win.

St. Norbert scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning, but the Pioneers scored once in the first and twice in the second inning for a 3-1 lead. The Green Knights erupted for five runs in the top of the third inning. Amanda Diedrich hit a three-run home run to put St. Norbert ahead 4-3. Lexy Campshure hit a solo home run later in the inning, followed by Leigh Grall scoring an unearned run for a 6-3 edge.

Utica scored three runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game 6-6. The Green Knights took a 7-6 lead on a Randi Morack solo home run in the fourth but the Pioneers scored a run in the bottom of the inning. St. Norbert scored three runs in the top of the fifth, with two runs scoring on an error and Brianna Braeger adding an RBI single for a 10-7 lead. The Pioneers would score once in the sixth, but Morack got the run back with a run-scoring single in the seventh. Utica scored once in the bottom of the seventh but would draw no closer.

Morack finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Green Knights, who had 10 hits. Carley Frauenhoff was 2-for-4.

Emma Molenhouse turned in a complete-game effort in the circle to get the win, walking three and striking out three.

In the first game of the day, St. Norbert had six hits but couldn't scratch across a run. Diedrich and Braeger were both 2-for-3. Ellie Olson took the loss for the Green Knights, allowing six runs in four innings.