Baseball drops non-conference contest at St. Norbert

DE PERE, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team fell into an early hole and couldn't fully recover, falling in an 8-3 contest at St. Norbert College Wednesday. The Falcons fell behind, 4-0, before cutting the Green Knights lead to one in the fifth inning. Ultimately, St. Norbert would add insurance runs late for the 8-3 win.

THE BASICS
- Final Score: St. Norbert 8, Concordia Wisconsin 3
- Location: Van Alstine Field – De Pere, Wis.
- Records: Concordia Wisconsin 15-16; St. Norbert 14-10

HIGHLIGHTS
- St. Norbert scored in each of its first three at bats, including two in the third to build a 4-0 lead. The Falcons would respond with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, cutting the Green Knights advantage to 4-3. St. Norbert leadoff man Derek Klegin recorded RBI in both the first and second innings, including a leadoff home run in the first.

- Sophomore Dan Ranieri (Loves Park, Ill.) drove in a run with a single in the fourth, while junior Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.) added a sacrifice fly in the frame. It was sophomore Anthony Lombardi (Kildeer, Ill.) who produced the run in the fifth, driving in junior Isaac Tewes (Chaska, Minn.) with an RBI single.

- The score would remain 4-3 until the bottom of the seventh when St. Norbert tacked on two for a 6-3 lead. The Green Knights would add to it in the eight, plating two more for the 8-3 final.

- Lombardi, Ranieri and Tewes each collected two hits to pace the Falcons offense Wednesday. Tewes scored twice for the Falcons, who were held without an extra-base hit in the contest.

- Junior Dylan Gausman (Eagan, Minn.) got the start for CUW, allowing three runs in 2.1 innings. Senior Josh Ruppel (Belgium, Wis.) threw 2.2 innings, while four Falcons came on for the final three innings. Among those was sophomore Eric Dubek (Lockport, Ill.) who tossed a scoreless sixth, striking out one.

- Sean Grant tallied three hits and scored twice to lead St. Norbert at the plate. Klegin finished with two hits and two RBI, while Jacob Raeder also drove in two for the host Green Knights.

UP NEXT
- The Falcons will visit Marian for a NACC doubleheader Saturday. First pitch from Fond du Lac, Wis. is set for noon.