Offense Sputters as St. Norbert Eliminated From MWC Tournament

From Sports Information Director, May 15, 2010 | Baseball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GRINNELL, Iowa. - St. Norbert College managed just nine hits - including only one for extra bases - and ended up getting eliminated in a 5-2 loss to Grinnell College in the Midwest Conference Tournament at North Diamond.

St. Norbert (24-12), which was ranked third in this week's NCAA Division III Central Region rankings, now holds out hope for a potential at-large berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second-straight year. Grinnell ended up losing to Ripon 13-5 in the subsequent MWC title game.

Grinnell took control early with a four-run, five-hit first inning. The Green Knights answered with one run in the second on a Jordan Powers' fielder's choice groundout to score Ryan Kehl.

The Pioneers added a run in the fifth inning, and St. Norbert scored in the seventh when Powers singled home Ryan Guisck, who led off the inning with a double. The Green Knights could get just one baserunner in the last two innings,

Powers led St. Norbert at the plate, going 3-for-5 with both RBIs. Matt Hannon was 2-for-4, but the Nos. 3-9 hitters were a combined 4-for-25 in the game.

Trevin Hillesheim pitched a complete game in falling to 3-4 on the year. Hillesheim allowed 12 hits, four walks and struck out three.