Green Knights Open MWC Tournament Unbeaten

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, May 5, 2017 | Softball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College put itself on the brink of advancing to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 2012 with a pair of wins on the first day of the Midwest Conference Tournament at Miron Construction Field at Mel Nicks Sports Complex.

The Green Knights (20-14) claimed a 4-3 win over Lake Forest College in their opener and then defeated Cornell College 7-3 in eight innings to be the lone unbeaten team in the tournament. St. Norbert will face either Lake Forest or Cornell at Noon Saturday, needing one win in two opportunities to advance further in the post-season.

St. Norbert trailed 3-0 against the Foresters after the visitors scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings. The Green Knights scored a single run when Amanda Diedrich doubled in Tia Danforth in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Green Knights would continue to trail 3-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Lexy Campshure opened the frame with a single, followed by a Carley Frauenhoff double. Following a pitching change, pinch-hitter Ashley Zimmerman was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Amy McBride and Brianna Braeger then drew consecutive walks to force in a pair of runs to tie the game. Maria Reiter then scored when a failed pickoff attempt at third base was awry to cap off the stunning rally.

Sydney Pfotenhauer went the distance, allowing two earned runs on six hits. She waslked two and struck out three.

Campsure was the only Green Knights with a multi-hit game at 2-for-3.

Against Cornell, St. Norbert had a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning before the Rams rallied to tie the game. The Green Knights then fashioned a four-run eighth inning to pull away.

The Green Knights scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Braeger walked to lead off the inning, followed by Randi Morack reaching on an error on a bunt and Leigh Grall beating out a bunt for a single. Tia Danforth then stroked a triple to the right-center gap to clear the bases.

Cornell scored twice in the fifth inning and once in the sixth inning to tie the game. Neither team had a serious scoring threat in the seventh inning.

Morack then led off the top of the eighth with a triple. Following an out, Danforth was intentionally walked. Amanda Diedrich then coaxed a walk to load the bases. Campshure then doubled to the left-center gap with two runs scoring on the hit, and a third on a throwing error on the play. Frauenhoff then followed with a hit to bring Campshure home for the four run lead.

Danforth was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Morack was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. The Green Knights finished with eight hits.

Pfotenhauer got the complete-game win, scattering 10 hits with no walks and two strikeouts.