PLYMOUTH – St. Norbert College picked up a crucial sweep at Lakeland University, defeating the Muskies 10-7 and 11-5 in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Muskie Baseball Field.
The Green Knights (15-13, 5-9 NACC) trailed 5-4 in the opening game before scoring six unanswered to emerge victorious. St. Norbert also trailed in the second game but rallied after a 4-1 deficit to take their sweep in the NACC this season. The nightcap concluded after six innings due to inclement weather.
Will DeBruin's home run in the first inning gave St. Norbert a quick 1-0 lead while a 3 RBI double from Declan Kane shortly after made it 4-0. The Muskies responded with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first and took a 5-4 lead in the third. Ethan Volz scored on a Lakeland error in the fourth following a Matt Schuch bunt to tie the game 5-5 and took the lead following a Jake Lucas single.
A Carson Krumrei (pictured) double scored Zach Bostrand in the fifth, while a home run from Lucas in the eighth gave the Green Knights a 10-5 lead. Lakeland scored two runs on a double in the bottom of the eighth but were shut down for the remainder of the contest.
Lucas and Bostrand each had three hits, with Lucas recording three RBIs.
Cooper Dykes earned his second win of the year, pitching 4.1 innings while striking out three and allowing just two hits and no runs. Charlie Gretz picked up the save, striking out two in the final inning.
Tyler Dean started the nightcap with a one-run single in the first, but the Green Knights trailed 4-1 after the first frame. Krumrei and Dean combined for three home runs, with Krumrei accounting for three RBIs as St. Norbert reclaimed a 5-4 lead. Mark Othmer hit a solo home run in the fourth as well.
The Muskies came within one run in the bottom of the fourth as St. Norbert led 6-5. The Green Knights beefed up the lead with RBI singles from Bostrand and DeBruin while a 3 RBI homer from Lucas in the sixth made it 11-5.
Lucas led with three hits, while Dean, Bostrand, Krumrei and Othmer all had two.
Jason Schroeder claimed his second win of the season, pitching six innings while striking out two and walking one while allowing five runs on seven hits, three of which were earned.
