Offense Busts Loose in St. Norbert Doubleheader Sweep

From Sports Information Director, April 11, 2015 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

APPLETON - St. Norbert College totaled 27 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Lawrence University as the Green Knights won by scores of 13-1 and 14-2 in Midwest Conference North Division action at Whiting Field.

The Green Knights (11-10, 3-3 MWC North) wasted little time taking control of each game. In the opener, St. Norbert scored four runs on six hits in the top of the first inning. Troy Rottier had an RBI double to get things started, and Tyler Brown followed with a two-run single. Sean Grant later had an RBI double to finish off the rally.

Jason Malkowski had a sacrifice fly in the third inning, and the Green Knights pushed ahead 8-0 with a three-run fourth. Tyler Banovich had a two-run double and Brown promptly followed with a run-scoring double of his own.

The Vikings scored one run in the fourth, but St. Norbert got it back in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Malkowski. The Green Knights put the game away with a four-run eighth. Malkowski drew a bases-loaded walk, and Robbie Dombrowski scored on a wild pitch. Derek Klegin had an RBI groundout and Rottier an RBI single.

Matt Freeman spun a complete-game one-hitter, walking just two while striking out 12. Freeman's 12 strikeouts marked just the fifth time that total has been reached by a St. Norbert pitcher in a game since 1995.

St. Norbert pounded out 16 hits in the opener. Klegin was 3-for-5, while Rottier was 3-for-6. Brown was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, while Grant was 2-for-3. Banovich and Brandon Kozinski also had two hits apiece.

In the nightcap, St. Norbert scored six runs on four hits in the top of the first. Banovich had an RBI double, Brown a two-run single, Grant an RBI single and Dan Neises an RBI double.

St. Norbert scored twice in both the second and third innings. Brown had an RBI double in the second inning, while Kozinski had a run-scoring single in the third inning.

The Green Knights socked two home runs in a four-run seventh inning, with Malkowski drilling a three-run shot and Klegin connected for a solo homer.

Jake McMahon picked up the complete-game win, scattering eight hits with two walks and nine strikeouts. Brown, Banovich, Malkowski and Neises all had two hits apiece. Malkowski had three RBIs and three runs scored.