Baseball

Baseball Championship Game 5: St. Norbert 11, Knox 2

[Game 5 – St. Norbert 11, Knox 2]

RIPON, Wis. – St. Norbert used an eight run fourth inning and a strong pitching performance to move on to the championship game of the 2013 MWC Baseball Championship. The Green Knights got out to an early lead and added on late for an 11-2 win over Knox.

St. Norbert got on the board first in the top half of the first inning with a pair of hits that scored two runs. After Chad Ljunggren singled with one out and stole second and third he scored on a Travis Mason single. The Mason single on a Nick Pierre fielder’s choice groundout to complete the inning.

Knox answered right back in the bottom of the first inning when Caleb Weaver singled home Phil Tallman who walked to start the frame.

St. Norbert all but put away the game in the top of the fourth inning with eight runs on six hits. The first eight batters in the inning reached base with Nick Dagneau, Brandon Kozinski, and Troy Rottier all platting a run with a hit followed by a run scoring walk from Jose Godinez. The inning was capped off by a Mason grand slam that scored the final four runs of the inning for the Green Knights.

Knox scored a single run in the sixth inning off the bat of Erik Smoy and St. Norbert added a run in the top of the ninth thanks to a Pierre sacrifice fly that scored Ljunggren.

Mason led St. Norbert with five runs batted in and a pair of hits while Ljunggren had two hits and scored three runs. Mason also went the distance on the mound scattering six hits and striking out three.

Weaver was the only Prairie Fire player with more than one hit as he had two on the day including driving in a run. Nathan Grady took the loss going only three innings and yielding five hits and six runs.

St. Norbert now faces Ripon at 1 p.m. for a chance at a MWC Championship. Since the championship tournament is double elimination the Green Knights would need to defeat Ripon twice today to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. If a second championship game is necessary it would be played at 4 p.m. Knox is eliminated with the loss ending the regular season with 22 wins.