MELBOURNE, Fla. - St. Norbert College opened its annual spring break trip at the Space Coast Games with a split, falling 12-4 to Marietta College before defeating Saint Mary's (Ind.) College 12-5 in two non-conference games.  

The Green Knights (2-4) trailed 8-0 to Marietta in the first inning, but got on the scoreboard in the second inning off a Magdeline Hanmann double. Allison Ardito (pictured) cut down the deficit to 8-3 in the third on a two-run homer The Pioneers scored three more runs before a St. Norbert response, with Grendal Sprong scoring on an error to make it 11-4. Marietta closed out the game with one more run in the fifth.  

Ardito and Elly Kirst led the Green Knights with two hits apiece. Addison Maurer took the loss, pitching 0.1 innings.  

In the nightcap against Saint Mary's, the Green Knights trailed 4-0 after the top of the third before eight runs in the bottom of the inning turned the tables in favor of St. Norbert. Sprong began the comeback with a single to score Kirst, while a Morgan Jarvi double brought in one more runner. An Emma Schmidt two-run single tied the game 4-4, while a Karleigh Linssen double made it 6-4.  

The Green Knights scored four more runs in the fourth, with a 3 RBI home run from Linssen extending the St. Norbert advantage to 12-4. The Belles scored one run in the fifth before being shutout by Addison Luebke in the final two innings.  

Schmidt led the Green Knights with three hits and two RBIs, while Linssen finished the game with two hits and five RBIs. Kirst, Ardito and Sprong each had two hits.  

Luebke earned her first win of the season, pitching 4.2 innings and striking out one with just one earned run.