(ST NORBERT COMMUNICATIONS) CARLINVILLE, Ill. – St. Norbert College opened its season with a split against Blackburn College, winning the season opener 4-3 before dropping the second game of the afternoon 12-0 in a doubleheader at Blackburn Baseball Field.
The Green Knights earned a win in the season opener thanks to three home runs, including one in the ninth inning to break a 3-3 tie.
The Green Knights had a chance in the top of the first inning to take an early lead with bases loaded until the Beavers got out of the jam with a strikeout. Will DeBruin (pictured) gave the Green Knights the lead in the third with a solo home run, but Blackburn evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth. DeBruin gave St. Norbert a 2-1 lead in the fifth thanks to his second home run of the afternoon, while a Matt Schuch single scoring Tyler Dean made it 3-1 in the seventh.
Blackburn tied the game 3-3 in the eighth from a single RBI, but it was the Green Knights who spoiled the comeback with a go-ahead solo home run from Dean in the ninth to give the Green Knights an opening day victory.
Dean finished with three hits with an RBI while Jake Lucas had two hits. Zac Wotruba earned the win with one inning pitched in the ninth, facing three batters. Jace Midbon went six innings to open the game, striking out seven with two walks and allowing three hits and one run.
Blackburn scored six runs in the second inning to open the second game of the doubleheader and added five more in the third. St. Norbert scored its only two runs in of the game when a double from Connor LaBar scored Tyler Murphy and Ben Griffey.
Jason Schroeder took the loss, pitching 1.1 innings and striking one out.
The Green Knights will wrap up the opening weekend against the Beavers tomorrow at noon.
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