APPLETON - St. Norbert College rode
Adam Cootway's game-tying two-out ninth-inning home run in the opener to a doubleheader sweep of Lawrence University by scores of 7-5 in 10 innings and 9-4 in Midwest Conference North Division action at Whiting Field.
St. Norbert has now won 15 straight games in the series and is 98-9 in its last 107 games against the Vikings.
The Green Knights (8-5, 2-0 MWC North) found themselves in dire straits trailing the Vikings 5-3 with two out and nobody on in the opener's ninth inning.
Isaac Gerhardt was hit by a pitch when down to his last strike, and Cootway rode the first pitch he saw from pitcher Elden Santana out to left field to knot the score at 5-5.
Lawrence stranded a runner on third base in its half of the ninth inning and the Green Knights promptly responded with a pair of runs in the 10th inning.
Jack Maastricht drew a one-out walk. Following a flyout,
Peyton Jack walked to put two runners on for
Sebastien Dubois, who hit a double to right field to plate both runners. The Vikings would get the first two runners on in the bottom of the 10th, but would strand both.
The Vikings held a 5-0 lead in the opener, scoring twice in the second inning and three times in the fifth inning. St. Norbert would set the stage for Cootway's heroics with three runs in the top of the eighth inning.
Nick Volz posted a two-run single and another run would score on a double play.
St. Norbert would get eight hits in the opener, with Maastricht and Cootway both going 2-for-4. Cootway added a double in addition to his home run.
Nick Brauer earned the win in relief, allowing three hits and no runs with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
Noah Beilfuss worked the 10th to earn the save.
In the nightcap, St. Norbert scored in the second inning on a run-scoring single by Gerhardt. The Green Knights would hold the lead at 1-0 until scoring three times in the fifth, with Cootway scoring on an error, a Maastricht sacrifice fly and a run-scoring safety by
Keagan McCarthy.
The Vikings would score once in the fifth and leave the bases loaded, and St. Norbert would pull away with a four-run seventh.
Christian Jack cleared the bases with a three-run double, and older brother
Peyton Jack drove him in with a double to left field.
Peyton Jack would add a solo home run in the ninth inning. Lawrence would score three consolation runs in its half of the ninth.
St. Norbert had 11 hits in the nightcap, with Volz going 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Peyton Jack was 2-for-2 with two runs batted in, while
Christian Jack was 2-for-5 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. McCarthy was 2-for-3.
Trevor Ramthun earned the win, allowing two hits and one run with three walks and six strikeouts in five innings pitched.
