Green Knights Clinch MWC Tournament Berth

From Sports Information Director, April 28, 2012 | Softball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College clinched a berth in the Midwest Conference Championship Tournament with a doubleheader split with Carroll University at Mel Nicks Field. The Green Knights won the opener 1-0 before dropping the nightcap 11-6.

The Green Knights finished 6-2 in the MWC North Division, and wins the tiebreakers with both Carroll and Ripon College by winning the first game of each doubleheader.

St. Norbert (14-17) won the opener in the bottom of the seventh inning. Abby Gildernick led off the inning with a single, and pinch-runner MacKenzie Hazen promptly stole second. Following a sacrifice bunt, Hazen scooted home on an infield error.

Shannen Schmidt twirled the complete-game shutout, scattering five hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Steph Brunette was 3-for-3, while Gildernick and Brittany Narges were both 2-for-3.

Carroll scored eight runs in its half of the fourth inning to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 9-3 lead. The Green Knights allowed the Pioneers just two earned runs in the game.

Jessica DeMeuse was 3-for-4 in the nightcap, while Hazen was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Morgan Rusch took the loss, allowing eight hits and two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.