Green Knights Eliminated in Loss to Aurora

From Sports Information Director, May 18, 2012 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

WHITEWATER - St. Norbert College had its record-setting season come to an end at the hands of No. 19 Aurora University by an 11-5 score in an elimination game of the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at UW-Whitewater's Prucha Field.

The Green Knights finished their season 27-13, and set school records this year for wins and games played. The Spartans improved to a robust 38-9 and will face host Whitewater in an elimination game later Friday night.

St. Norbert couldn't slow Aurora, which scored in every inning but the third and sixth frames. The Spartans scored once in the first and two in the second, and then scored one more in the fourth for a 4-0 lead. Troy Rottier's single drove in Alex Larsen in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 4-1.

Aurora answered with one in the fifth, two in the seventh and eighth to lead 9-1. The Green Knights responded with a three-run eighth. Chris Hillesheim scored on a wild pitch and Rottier socked a two-run double to make it 9-4.

The Spartans put the game away with two runs in the top of the ninth. Travis Mason hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth for the game's final run.

Mason finished 3-for-5 for the Green Knights, who left 12 runners on base and had just seven hits. Mason (7-2) took the loss, allowing six hits and five runs in four-plus innings pitched. Rottier was 2-for-4 with three RBIs to finish a tournament that saw the freshman first baseman go 5-for-9 with four RBIs.