VERO BEACH, FL – After a tough loss to Penn State Greater Allegheny (3-4) by a final of 8-4 on Wednesday night, the Norse Baseball Team (4-4) rebounded to finish their spring break trip with three consecutive wins. The Norse defeated Penn State New Kensington (0-7) 4-1 on Thursday morning and wrapped up the trip with a 5-4 walk off win over Penn State Mont Alto (4-6) and a late push to get past LeFleche College (0-1) by a final of 7-4.
Greater Allegheny jumped on the Norse in Holman Stadium on Wednesday, picking up eight runs on eight hits in the first three innings. They also took advantage of a pair of Norse errors, making four of their eight runs in that time period unearned.
The Norse offense came to life in the latter innings. Michael Rey (SO, Dunnellon, FL) doubled to deep center to drive in a run in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning the Norse cut the lead to four when Aedan Creten (SO, Gladstone, MI) knocked a homerun to right, bringing in two runs.
It would not be enough however, as the Norse would get just one more hit, stranding a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh.
Isaac Sarles (FR, Marquette, MI) took the loss, despite walking one in the first three innings of work. Bay got good outings by Eli Gardner (FR, Escanaba, MI) and Bill Hosegood (SO, Radisson, SK) that kept them in the game. Gardner gave up two hits, one walk, and struck out two in two innings of work while Hosegood struck out one in the final two innings.
Rey was two for four with an RBI.
Travis Kavorik (FR, Trafford, PA) was two for four for PSU Greater Allegheny. Sawyer McKenzie (FR, Arlington, TX) was two for four with a double, a run scored, and an RbI.
Ryan Orosz (SO, North Huntingdon, PA) was the winning pitcher, working five innings and giving up three hits, two runs, one of which was earned, a walk, and struck out five.
The Norse returned to action the next morning and started the game off with a bang. Shane Lievsay (FR, Prescott Valley, AZ) drove the second pitch of the game to deep center to slide in with a triple. He scored on a ground out two batters later, giving Bay the early lead.
Bay added to the lead in the third. Blake Walther (FR, Munising, MI) doubled to lead off the inning. After he advanced to third on a fly ball, Lievsay picked up an RBI, driving him in with a ground out to short.
New Kensington cut the lead in half with a run in the fourth, picking up a two-out RBI single from Ryan Clearwater (SO, Springhill, FL).
The Norse added insurance runs in the seventh. Creten singled to lead off the frame Zach Gibson (SO, Nassau, Bahamas) hit a sharp base hit into left. A misplay in the outfield allowed Creten to come around and score, and an error on the next play allowed Gibson to score.
Bay got an outstanding outing from Cohen Thompson (SO, Chapin, SC). He went the distance and scattered five hits, gave up one earned run, walked three, and struck out four.
Lievsay ended with a double, a triple, a run scored, and an RBI in three at bats.
Zander Allen (SO, Hebron, KY) took the tough-luck loss for New Kensington. He threw all seven innings and only two of the four runs were earned. He walked no one, gave up seven hits, and struck out five.
The Norse had a rematch against Penn State Mont Alto to start their last day of the trip. Mont Alto won the earlier matchup by a score of 9-1 but found themselves in a battle on Friday.
Bay got things started in the first. A lead off walk to Lievsay proved to be costly as he would advance all the way to third on the ensuing sacrifice bunt. He then raced home on a ground ball from Rey and beat the throw to the plate for the first run of the game. After a Creten single, Gibson lined a ball into left to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Norse.
Mont Alto responded in the top of the second as Kyle Nolan (JR, Chambersburg, PA) doubled in a run. Though they left two on in the inning, they put another threat together in the third. Back-to-back doubles from Wyatt Kissel (SO, Chambersburg, PA) and Garrett Worth (FR, Sabillasville, MD) tied the game. With two outs John Copenhaver (FR, Winchester, VA) singled to drive in two more, giving Mont Alto their first lead of the game. Mont Alto continued to threaten but left the bases loaded in the third.
Their next threat came in the top of the sixth as they loaded the bases with one out. A hard line drive to third baseman Elian Tortoledo (FR, American Fork, UT) was caught and Tortoledo dove back to the base to double off the runner, ending the threat.
Michael Rey led off the bottom half of the sixth with a single and Logan Peterson (SO, Marquette, MI), who came on as a courtesy runner, stole second. Two quick outs brought Lorenzo Feliciano (SO, Deerfield Beach, FL) to the plate in a pinch-hit situation, and he delivered. His single to center made it a one-run affair heading into the last inning.
After a quick top of the seventh, the Norse went to work in the bottom half, immediately putting pressure on their opponent. Cameron Street (SO, Newmarket, ON) led off with a double to center. Lievsay followed that with a single and Tyler Darmogray (SO, Gladstone, MI) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rey stepped to the plate and drew a walk to tie the game. Two batters later, Gibson drew a five-pitch walk to seal a victory for Bay.
Bay would wrap up their trip with a matchup with LeFleche College from Quebec, Canada. The Norse took advantage of some mistakes early, erratic pitching gave them baserunners and a two-out fly ball deflected off a fielder's glove scoring the first run of the game with two outs. Street followed that with a single to short left, and the Norse had an early 2-0 lead.
The Norse drew three walks to lead off the second and chase the starting pitcher, but a sacrifice fly would be all the Norse could get, settling for just one run in the frame.
George Cooper (SO, Skenners Head, Australia) helped add to the lead in the fourth with an RBI single, but the Norse left two more runners on in the frame.
LaFleche College's offense came to life in the bottom of the fourth. William Beaudoin doubled to deep right to get them on the board and Noah Dassy singled to center to bring in two more runs. Beaudoin picked up another RBI in the fifth with a single that tied the game.
The Norse responded in the sixth, loading the bases with one out. A balk broke the tie but the Norse rally was cut short. With one out a groundball took Dassy toward the hole, but he fielded cleanly and threw a perfect ball to the plate, cutting down a run. A strikeout ended the inning with Bay clinging to a one-run lead.
Bay found a way to get some breathing room in the top of the seventh. Austin Samanske (SO, Eagle River, WI) doubled down the left field line to lead off the frame. With one out Harrison Haigh (FR, Essendon, Australia) belted a triple to right center, driving in a run. He scored on a two-out single from Peterson, and Bay held a three-run lead going into the bottom of the frame.
LaFleche College started the inning with two strikeouts, but then drew a walk and two hit by pitches. That brought Hosegood to the mound, whose first pitch offering was lined right to the left fielder, allowing Hosegood to pick up a one-pitch save.
Feliciano was the winning pitcher. In five innings of work he gave up eight hits, four earned runs, two walks, and struck out five. Tortoledo was strong in relief, going one and two-thirds, giving up no hits and striking out two, while walking two.
The Norse wrapped up the trip with a 4-4 record.
"Overall it ended up being a good trip," said Head Coach Mike Pankow. "I think this team has put some high expectations on themselves and with that, put some unneeded pressure on themselves early in the week. There were some at bats and games we definitely want back, but I think the approach at the plate started to mature toward the end of the week, and the results started to go our way. Our pitching staff kept us in games for the most part the whole week, which was great to see, I thought they did a fantastic job."
Bay will jump right into MCCAA Northern Conference play once they get back. They are slated to travel to Mid Michigan for a four-game series starting March 21. The doubleheaders at Mount Pleasant High School will start at 2 pm on Friday and 1 pm on Saturday.