St. Norbert Sweeps Lawrence to Keep MWC Lead

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, April 19, 2017 | Softball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College kept its two-game lead in the Midwest Conference with a doubleheader sweep of Lawrence University by scores of 5-0 and 5-3 at Miron Construction Field at Mel Nicks Sports Complex.

The Green Knights (13-11, 11-1 MWC) stayed two games in front of Illinois College (15-9, 9-3) heading into their critical doubleheader Saturday in Jacksonville, Ill.

St. Norbert put together one big inning in the opener, scoring five runs on four hits and three Lawrence errors in the third inning. Brianna Braeger stroked a two-run single to put the Green Knights ahead 2-0. Braeger later came around to score on a throwing error Randi Morack's bunt single for a 3-0 lead. Morack scored on a double by Leigh Grall, who then scored the final run of the inning on a Lawrence throwing error.

Emma Molenhouse twirled a complete-game shutout, her fifth of the season. She walked one and struck out three.

Frauenhoff was 2-for-2 for the Green Knights, who had eight hits.

In the nightcap, St. Norbert overcame three errors and 12 Lawrence hits to eke out the victory.

St. Norbert scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning on a two-out, two-run double by Amanda Diedrich. Lawrence would score single runs in the second and third innings to tie the score 2-2.

The Green Knights went ahead 3-2 on a Tia Danforth RBI double in the third inning, but the Vikings would counter again in the fourth inning with an unearned run to tie the score at 3-3. Lawrence had runners at second and third with one out later in the inning but couldn't score, with Sam Belletini's deep drive to left hauled down on the warning track on a nice running catch by Braeger.

St. Norbert pulled ahead on Amy McBride's run-scoring double in the fourth inning. The Green Knights picked up an insurance run in the fifth inning when Diedrich's double brought around Danforth.

Diedrich was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while McBride was 2-for-3. St. Norbert had eight hits.

Molenouse earned the win in relief, allowing four hits with no walks and two strikeouts in four innings pitched.