(ST NORBERT COMMUNICATIONS) DE PERE – St. Norbert College fought but could not keep up with nationally ranked UW-Stevens Point, falling twice by scores of 12-2 and 8-5 in a non-conference doubleheader at Miron Construction Field.
The Green Knights kept it close for five innings in both contests before No. 25 Stevens Point found late runs to take the sweep.
St. Norbert took the lead early in the opening game of the afternoon, with a Morgan Hansel RBI single scoring Ava Engwall. The Pointers found their way back into the game and took a 3-1 lead after the top of the fifth inning. A Zoe Zasada (pictured) single RBI cut into the lead in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-2, but nine runs in the sixth inning from Stevens Point secured its first win of the afternoon.
Bailie Thielen took the loss, pitching four innings and allowing five hits and two runs with one strikeout and one walk.
After finding themselves down 2-0 early, the Green Knights surged back and took a 3-2 lead. Addison Race started the run with an RBI double to score Zasada, while Engwall tied the game on a Stevens Point error. A sacrifice fly from Grendel Sprong brought home Race to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first.
A Zasada 2 RBI triple gave St. Norbert a 5-2 lead in the second inning, but it was the Pointers who found runs late again and shutout the Green Knights in the last five innings to take an 8-5 win.
Zasada and Race each had two hits, with Zasada finishing the game with two RBIs. Theilen took the loss, pitching four innings and striking out three.