ESCANABA, MI – The Norse Baseball Team (3-24) hosted the Bryant & Stratton Bobcats (18-22) this past weekend. The Bobcats took game one in a rain shortened opener by the final of 13-8. On Sunday afternoon the Norse dropped a 5-1 decision in game before snapping a long losing streak with a 4-2 victory in the finale.
The Bobcats jumped out to an early lead in game one with three consecutive singles plating the first run of the contest. They got a second on a ground ball, but stranded a runner at third in the frame.
They extended their lead in the second, taking advantage of a throwing error on a steal of third base. Robert Logan-Martin was able to extend the lead even farther with a three-run home run, putting Bay down six runs.
The Norse were able to get on the board in the bottom of the second when Grant Craft (FR, Canberra, Australia hit a booming shot that cleared the left field fence.
After giving up a run on an error in the top half of the third, the Norse were able to cut into the lead in the bottom half. Tanner Halvorson (SO, Eau Claire, WI) drove a two-run shot to left. Craft followed that with an RBI single two batters later, and would score on a single from Logan Michalko (FR, Shelby, MI).
With the score sitting at 7-5, the Bobcats cracked the game wide open in the very next inning. Tyson Ludwig (FR, Troy, MO) led off the inning with a home run, and the Bryant & Stratton offense loaded the bases with no one out. After an RBI single and a passed ball brought in two runs, Kevin Murphy (FR, Romeoville, IL) doubled to bring in two more runs. The Norse found themselves down 12-5.
The Norse loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but only managed to bring in one run on a sacrifice fly from Hector Aragauyan (FR, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela). They would give a run right back as the Bobcats would get just one hit in the fifth, but score on a passed ball.
Bay loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with no one out. They scored one run on a fielder's choice, and a second on an RBI single by Alex Morehouse (SO, Sugar Island, MI), but a double play would end the rally.
The game would end there as a cold and bitter rain got more intense, not only scratching the seventh inning, but also cancelling the second game of the scheduled doubleheader.
Zeke Klais (FR, Mount Horeb, WI) took the win on the mound in relief. We worked two innings and gave up one run on one hit and two walks while striking out two.
Dalton Graham (FR, Sault Ste. Marie, MI) was credited with the loss as he started and gave up nine hits, 12 runs, ten earned, four walks and struck out six. Craft pitched two and two thirds in relief and gave up one unearned run on three hits and struck out eight.
Martin ended the game three for four with four RBI.
Craft was two for four with three RBI while Morehouse collected two hits in three at bats.
On Sunday the Bobcats took advantage of some early Norse miscues in the top of the first. Two errors, a passed ball, a wild pitch, two walks, and a hit batsman allowed Bryant and Stratton to score three runs without a hit in the inning.
The Norse threatened to get those runs back in the second. A leadoff walk, followed by a pair of singles loaded the bases. A strike out, a run scoring ground out, and a strike out to end the inning minimized the damage for the Bobcats, as they held a 3-1 lead.
Bryant and Stratton added runs in the fourth and fifth as Bay struggled to get their offense started. They Norse left six runners on in the game and struck out ten times in the game.
Brenden Bille (FR, Waupun, WI) got the win after being forced into a long relief role due to an injury. He went six innings and gave up just four hits and one run. He walked three and struck out nine.
Nick Goebert (SO, Werl, Germany) took a tough luck loss as he worked four innings and gave up just two hits. Only one of the four runs he gave up were earned. He struck out five and walked five. Matt Bush (Fr, Sault Ste. Marie, MI) made his collegiate debut in relief, going three innings and giving up two hits, one run, three walks, and struck out three.
Logan Martin was two for two with a double and a walk.
Bay took their first lead of the series in the first inning of the nightcap on Sunday. After a single and a walk, Halvorson doubled to right field to bring in a run. Craft picked up an RBI on a ground out, and Araguayan singled to score Halvorson, giving the Norse a 3-0 lead.
It remained that way into the fifth. Norse starting pitcher found himself in the first spot of trouble with two on, but managed to get two outs in the inning. Ethan Toone (FR, Brookfield, WI) came up in a pinch hitting situation and lined a double down the left field line, bring both runners around to score. Bower got out of the inning with the lead, getting the next batter to pop up in the infield.
Leading by just one, the Norse got a much needed insurance run in the fifth. Tanner Halvorson led off the inning. With a stiff 10-15 mph wind blowing in, he hit a ball well out of the deepest part of the ball field in center. His impressive shot made it 4-2 in favor of Bay.
Bower dodged trouble in the sixth, stranding two runners on. He got two quick outs in the seventh, but Toone put together another solid at bat. After fighting off several pitches, he extended the game on the ninth pitch he saw with a single to left. After a walk to the next batter, Ian Schwalbach (FR, Gladstone, MI) got the call from the pen to try and get the final out. The batter took him to a full count and sent a liner to right, but it was right in the tracks of Bay's right fielder Billy Garcia (FR, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) who squeezed it for the final out.
Bower got the win in six and two thirds innings. He scattered five hits and gave up the two earned runs while striking out six and walking five. Schwalbach earned his first save of the season.
Azhur Khan (FR, Toronto, ON) took the loss, giving three runs in an inning of work.
Halvorson led the Norse with a three for three day. He ended up with two doubles, the home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
The Norse will make up a pair of games with The College of DuPage on Thursday evening on the road. That doubleheader will start at 2 pm.