St. Norbert Earns Split Against No. 15 UW-Stevens Point

From Sports Information Director, March 28, 2010 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College picked up a doubleheader split against UW-Stevens Point in the earliest games ever played at Mel Nicks Field. The Green Knights claimed the opener 5-4 while the Pointers, ranked 15th in the D3baseball.com Top 25 and this year's favorite to win the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, took the nightcap 8-1.

St. Norbert (6-6) rallied from a 4-1 deficit to win the first game. The Pointers edged out to a 4-1 lead through their half of the fifth before the Green Knights answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Matt Hannon's single drove in Ryan Gusick, and Jared Yost's sacrifice fly plated Jordan Powers.

The Green Knights moved ahead in the seventh. Hannon singled and Tony Jandron followed with a booming two-run home run to left for a 5-4 advantage.

Stevens Point (7-4) left two runners on in the eighth and then had a last-ditch rally in the ninth. Ryan Sullivan retired the first two hitters in the ninth, before a single and a walk prompted St. Norbert coach Tom Winske to bring Jandron to the mound. Jandron walked the first hitter he faced before coaxing Travis Tuschen to ground out to second to end the game. The Pointers left 15 men on base in the opener.

Hannon and Jandron both were 2-for-3, while Jandron scored two runs. Sullivan got the win with two innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits. Trevin Hillesheim picked up a no-decision, allowing nine hits and two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.

St. Norbert had a tough time solving Stevens Point ace Scott Williams in the nightcap. Williams scattered eight hits in the complete-game win, striking out eight with no walks. The Green Knights picked up their lone run in the fifth. Tony Fedoruk singled and Ryan Kehl doubled to set up Ryan Way's RBI groundout.

Jandron and Fedoruk were both 2-for-4 in the nightcap. David Schneider took the loss, allowing nine hits and four earned runs with no walks and three strikeouts.