Nohr's Shutout Lifts St. Norbert to Split With Ripon

From Sports Information Director, April 28, 2013 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College split a Midwest Conference North Division doubleheader with Ripon College, dropping its belated home opener 4-2 before rebounding to claim a 10-0 win in the nightcap at Mel Nicks Field.

The Green Knights (21-9, 9-3 MWC) need Ripon (16-12, 12-2 MWC) to drop at least one game with Carroll University on Tuesday to fall even in the loss column in the North Division standings. St. Norbert would then need to sweep Beloit College in its final league series to force a one-game playoff on May 6 for the North Division title and the right to host the MWC Tournament 10-11.

St. Norbert got a four-hit shutout from Brett Nohr in the opener to key the big win, its largest margin of win over the Red Hawks since a 15-4 win on May 3, 1997. Nohr walked three and struck out three but benefited from two double plays turned behind him to notch his second shutout of the season.

Jose Godinez drove in a run on a fielder's choice, and Travis Mason added an RBI triple later in the first inning. Nick Pierre's groundout plated Mason for a 3-0 lead. In the second inning, Chad Ljunggren's single drove in Troy Rottier, who had doubled with two outs.

Brandon Kozinski scored on a passed ball in the fourth inning, and Godinez drove in another run on a fielder's choice. St. Norbert broke open the game in the fifth inning, getting two runs on a Cameron Jerina double and two more on a Rottier single.

Rottier finished 4-for-4 with three runs scored, two doubles and two RBIs, while Ljunggren was 3-for-3. Alex Larsen was 3-for-4 with a double, as the Green Knights pounded out 16 hits in just six at bats.

St. Norbert scored two unearned runs in the second inning in the opener and held that lead until Ripon scored three times in the seventh. The Red Hawks added a big insurance run in the ninth.

Larsen was 2-for-4 with a double in the opener. Kyle Mahlik took the loss, working seven innings while allowing five hits with two runs and two strikeouts.