LA CROSSE, WI – The Norse Baseball Team (12-12, 3-5 MCCAA) participated in a three-team round robin set of games on the campus of Viterbo University on Friday afternoon.  After beating the Viterbo Developmental Team by a score of 8-4, the Norse dropped a game to the Western Tech Cavaliers (4-16, 1-3 MCAC) by a score of 6-5.

Bay took the lead in the first against the V-Hawks when Zach Gibson (FR, Nassau, Bahamas) blasted a long home run to left field.

It didn't take long for Viterbo to respond.  They drew a bases loaded walk and followed that with a sacrifice fly to take the lead.  The Norse would avoid further damage, and stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the first.  Viterbo added a pair in the second when Roberto Echevarria (FR, Camuy, PR) in two on a single to center.

The score would stay at 4-1 until the fourth inning.  The Norse finally got back on the scoreboard, using a hit by pitch and a single to manufacture a run when they plated a run on a ground out from George Cooper (FR, Eltham, Australia).  A second run scored on an error making the score 4-3.

A two-out rally in the fifth put Bay back on top to stay.  Bill Hosegood (FR, Radisson, SK) got things going with a single and tied the game by scoring on a wild pitch.  An error and a pair of walks extended the inning and an RBI from Cooper drove in two, putting Bay up by three.

The Norse added a run in the sixth on an error.

Zac Gomersall (SO, Perth, Australia) picked up the win in relief.  He threw three complete innings and gave up just one hit and one walk and struck out three.  Cooper closed out the final two innings and gave up just one hit and struck out one.

Cooper had three RBI.

Bay alumni Ritsuki Nonomura (JR, Osaka, Japan) and Riley McElfresh (JR, Hayward, WI) participated in the game for Viterbo.  Nonomura started and played second for the V-Hawks.

He drew a walk in four plate appearances and scored a run.  McElfresh pitched in two-thirds of an inning and was credited with the loss.

In game two Bay's starter Tyler Darmogray (FR, Gladstone, MI) flirted with trouble in the early going.  He stranded two in the first inning but could not do the same in the second.  With two outs Ace Padilla (SO, Castle Rock, CO) cashed in on the leadoff single and walk by driving them in with a double to center, putting the Cavaliers up early.

After surrendering another run on an error in the third, the Norse finally put together a threat in the fourth.  A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases with no one out.  Chase Carlson (SO, Foster City, MI) picked up an RBI on a groundout and another run would come home on an error.  Another error with two outs allowed two more runs to come home and Bay took their first lead of the game by a score of 4-3.

Unfortunately, the Norse gave the Cavaliers a run in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of errors.  With the score tied heading into the sixth Jace Cota (SO, Chippewa Falls, WI) singled and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Cameron Street (FR, Newmarket, ON) hit a deep fly ball to left field that got over the fielder's head for an RBI double.  Bay failed to bring him around however, and would have to settle for a tie game.

With two outs in the sixth Padillo tripled to deep center.  Three pitches later he trotted home on a wild pitch, giving Western Tech the lead.  Bay made solid contact in the seventh but ended up with three fly outs to go silently to end the game.

Darmogray pitched a complete game and took the loss.  Three of his six runs were earned and he gave up five hits, walked four, and struck out four.

Cota was two for three with a triple and a run scored.

The Norse will get back into MCCAA Northern Conference play on Tuesday when they take the trip down to Alpena Community College.  First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 2 pm.

RIVER FALLS, WI – The Bay College Norse Baseball Team (11-11, 3-5 MCCAA) split a doubleheader to start off a nonconference road trip on Thursday.  Minnesota Post Grad tossed a no-hitter in game one, winning the game 1-0 before the Norse offense led them to a 13-5 victory in the nightcap.

Louis Hertling (Anoka, MN) was the story of game one walking just two and striking out 13 while keeping the Norse hitless in the game.  His only spot of trouble came in the top of the seventh when he walked a batter with one out.  With two outs a swinging strike three would reach and a misplay on the throw allowed the tying run to advance to third.  Hertling slammed the door on the comeback when he fielded a come backer and flipped to first to end the game.

Post Grad's lone run came in the first.  After a lead off single from Sam Nienow (Cottage Grove, MN), Owen Hackett (Centennial, MN) lifted a pop fly in the infield.  Unfortunately for the Norse none of the infielders could converge on it before it fell harmlessly to the ground.  John Cromwell (Rapids City, SD) made Bay pay for hit, driving a two-out RBI single to center.

Thijs Rijpstra (FR, Dongen, Netherlands) was the recipient of no run support, as he was extremely effective on the mound but will be handed a loss for his efforts.  He threw six innings, scattered five hits, gave up one run, walked just two, and struck out seven.

Nienow and Hackett each had multi-hit games for MN Post Grad.

The Norse offense woke in the second game.  After a leadoff walk in the second inning, George Cooper (FR, Eltham, Australia) doubled down the left field line to tie the game at one.  He scored on Jace Cota's sacrifice fly a few batters later.  Tyler Darmogray (FR, Gladstone, MI) doubled home a run, and after getting another RBI on an error, Josh Blake (SO, Seffner, FL) drove in a pair on a single to right field, putting the Norse up 6-1.

Minnesota Post Grad took advantage of a bases loaded, no out situation in the third.  They would plate four runs with the big blow coming from Hackett, a two-RBI single to left.

Bay wasted little time responding.  Blake doubled to drive in a pair in the top of the fourth.  He wound up scoring on Cooper's two out single.

The Norse put the game away in the fifth.  With two outs Darmogray singled to start things.

After stealing second he was driven in by Lorenzo Feliciano (FR, Deerfield Beach, FL).  Not to be outdone, Zach Gibson (FR, Nassau, Bahamas) doubled down the left field line for an RBI, putting Bay up 11-4.  The Norse added insurance runs in the seventh, highlighted by an RBI double from Blake.

Huge games from Darmogray and Blake sparked the big run output.  Darmogray was four for five from the leadoff spot, driving in one and scoring twice.  Blake picked up three hits in five at bats, two of those hits being doubles.  He added five RBI.

Chase Carlson (SO, Foster City, MI) also had big contributions, going three for four with a triple.  Feliciano and Cooper each had a pair of hits.

Hunter Ballantyne (FR, Brantford, ON) got the win on the mound.  He pitched five innings and gave up five hits, four earned runs, three walks, and struck out seven.  Austin Samanske (FR, Eagle River, WI) gave up a run and struck out three in two innings of relief work.