The Highlights

Scores, news and more from Lawrence University Athletics

St. Norbert takes pair from Lawrence

APPLETON, Wis. — It took more than 24 hours to complete, but the St. Norbert College baseball team swept a Midwest Conference doubleheader from Lawrence University on Monday at Whiting Field.

St. Norbert (18-7, 7-1 MWC) won the opener 11-0 and took the nightcap 6-2 in what were home games for the Green Knights. St. Norbert was forced to play the contests at Lawrence (7-15, 1-11) because of wet conditions at Mel Nicks Field.

The opening game of the doubleheader started at noon on Sunday, but it was suspended in the bottom of the sixth inning as snow fell and freezing temperatures plagued Whiting Field.

The teams resumed play Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. with temperatures more than 20 degrees warmer. The Green Knights closed out the first game in less than 10 minutes due to the 10-run rule.

Jose Godinez and Travis Mason both had two hits, scored two runs and drove in two runs for St. Norbert. Kyle Mahlik pitched six innings and allowed only one hit to pick up the win for St. Norbert. Kelton Jenkins lasted only two innings and took the loss for Lawrence.

In the second game, St. Norbert got another standout pitching performance, this time from Brett Nohr. He went the distance, allowed five hits and two runs, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Atley Gay went seven innings, allowed nine hits and six runs, struck out four and walked two for Lawrence.

The Green Knights got virtually all of their offense from center fielder Alex Larsen. He hit a three-run homer to give St. Norbert a 3-0 lead in the second. Larsen then added a solo shot in the fourth and finished with four runs batted in.

Lawrence cut the St. Norbert lead in half by scoring twice in the top of the eighth. After Joel Birch reached on a fielder’s choice, Gabe Henriques doubled. Gabe Warshaw followed with a two-run single to trim the lead to 4-2.

The Green Knights sealed the win by getting those two runs back in the bottom half of the inning.

Henriques paced the Lawrence offense by going 3-for-4, and Nick Pierre was 3-for-4 for St. Norbert.

Lawrence returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Northland College in a nonconference doubleheader.

Game one box score

Game two box score

Lawrence blanks St. Norbert; Vikings win MWC North Division

OSHKOSH, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team completed its undefeated run through the Midwest Conference’s North Division with a 9-0 shutout of St. Norbert College on Sunday at the YMCA Tennis Center.

Lawrence (13-6, 4-0 MWC) wins the North Division title for the second time in the last four seasons after also taking the championship in 2010. The Vikings will be the top seed from the North Division in the four team Midwest Conference Tournament on Friday in Madison, Wis. Lawrence will face the second seed from the South Division, Monmouth College, in the semifinals. The South Division champ, Grinnell College, faces Carroll University in the other semifinal.

Lawrence got off to a great start on Sunday by sweeping the three doubles matches, but it wasn’t easy. The No. 1 doubles team of Jason Dunn and Max Zlevor won 8-2. But Cooper Smith and Jeremy Andereck won a hard-fought 9-7 decision at No. 2, and Craig Sherwood and Brian DeCorte needed to win a tiebreaker for the victory at No. 3.

Lawrence then swept the singles with Smith (No. 1), Dunn (No. 2) and De Corte (No. 5) all winning in straight sets. Zlevor dropped the first set but then didn’t drop a game in the final two sets to win at No. 3. Both Sherwood (No. 4) and Andereck (No. 6) won supertiebreakers to claim victories after splitting the first two sets.

Lawrence University 9, St. Norbert College 0

Singles competition
1. Cooper Smith (LU) def. Matt Lobeck (SNC) 6-2, 6-2
2. Jason Dunn (LU) def. Tim Hartwick (SNC) 6-1, 6-4
3. Max Zlevor (LU) def. Nick Acosta (SNC) 5-7, 6-0, 6-0
4. Craig Sherwood (LU) def. Travis Buechel (SNC) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8)
5. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Josh Sweere (SNC) 6-0, 6-4
6. Jeremy Andereck (LU) def. Nate Gosz (SNC) 1-6, 7-5, 1-0 (13-11)

Doubles competition
1. Jason Dunn/Max Zlevor (LU) def. Tim Hartwick/Nick Acosta (SNC) 8-2
2. Cooper Smith/Jeremy Andereck (LU) def. Matt Lobeck/Casey Brice (SNC) 9-7
3. Craig Sherwood/Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Travis Buechel/Nate Gosz (SNC) 9-8 (11-9)

Match Notes:
St. Norbert College 6-11, 2-2 MWC North
Lawrence University 13-6, 4-0 MWC North
T-4:00  A-25

Lawrence, St. Norbert baseball doubleheader suspended due to snow

APPLETON, Wis. — A steady falling snow halted Sunday’s Midwest Conference baseball doubleheader between Lawrence University and St. Norbert College.

Snow started falling in the fourth inning and the game was stopped in the bottom of the sixth with St. Norbert holding an 11-0 lead. The game has been suspended and the teams will attempt to complete this opening game of the doubleheader and the second game on Monday at 3 p.m.

Bolgrien, Stevens take titles at St. Norbert Invitational

DE PERE, Wis. — Anna Bolgrien and Sam Stevens both won individual titles on Saturday at the St. Norbert College Invitational at Schneider Stadium.

Bolgrien grabbed first in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:06.98 and teammate Hayley Cardinal was sixth in 1:12.37.

Stevens raced to victory in the 3,000 steeplechase in 9:29.99.

Both Lawrence teams placed sixth in the teams standings with identical 53-point totals.

Other top finishers for the Lawrence women were Rose Tepper, who took second in the high jump (1.60 meters), Genna Matt, who was third in the hammer throw (35.74 meters) and the 1,600 relay team, which placed third in 4:14.29.

Kyle Dockery grabbed a third place for the Lawrence men in the 5,000 in 15:56.34, and Spencer Swick was fourth in both the shot put (13.35 meters) and discus (41.44 meters).

Results

Lawrence splits doubleheader with Bucs

BELOIT, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team rallied to win the nightcap against Beloit College on Saturday after dropping a heartbreaker in the opener at the Strong Stadium Complex.

Beloit (6-24, 4-6 MWC) won the opener 2-1 in eight innings, and Lawrence (13-11, 3-5) took the second game 5-4.

In the second game, Lawrence trailed 3-0 early but came back to win it in the final inning. The Vikings scored an unearned run in the third and added another run in the fourth when Alex Chiodo walked and later scored on Alissa Geipel’s triple to trim the margin to 3-2.

Beloit got a run back in the bottom half of the inning to push the lead to 4-2, but the Vikings scored twice in the top of the fifth. Chiodo singled to score Shannon Murray, and Taylor Dodson later singled to score Chiodo to tie it at 4-4.

The score stayed that way until the top of the seventh when Anna Wawiorka started the rally with a one-out single. She stole second and went to third on a wild pitch before Chiodo tripled to drive her in for a 5-4 lead.

Murray, who had come on in relief of starter Kara Vance, worked around a lead-off double in the bottom half of the inning to secure the win. Murray went 2.2 innings and allowed three hits.

Chiodo went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs, and Murray and Geipel both had two hits for the Vikings.

In the opener, it was a pitchers’ duel as both teams were held scoreless through seven innings.

Lawrence took a 1-0 lead in the top of the eighth. Wawiorka reached on a bunt single and went to second on a throwing error. After Chiodo singled and stole second, the Vikings had runners at second and third. Geipel’s groundout scored Wawiorka, but that was all the Vikings would get in the inning.

Tala-Marie Cornell led off the bottom half of the inning with a homer against Murray to tie the game at 1-1. After Bethany Stavrakas followed with a single, she went to second on a sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a wild pitch. Emily Dorjath’s single to left field scored Stravrakas to win it for Beloit.

Jen Zucker went the distance and got the win for Beloit. She allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked one. Murray went the distance for Lawrence, allowed seven hits, struck out five and walked three.

Lawrence returns to action on Sunday when it travels to Ripon College.

Game one box score

Game two box score

Vikings split doubleheader with St. Norbert

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University baseball team scored late to win the opener, and St. Norbert College won a pitchers’ duel in the nightcap as the teams split a Midwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday at Whiting Field.

Lawrence (7-13, 1-9 MWC) took the opening game 5-3, and St. Norbert (16-7, 5-1) won the second game 2-1.

In the opener, St. Norbert starter Kevin Nutley led 1-0 and took a no-hitter to the bottom of the seventh before the Vikings rallied. Aaron Benz started the inning with a double for the Vikings, and he scored two batters later on Joel Birch’s single to tie the game at 1-1.

Davis Ogilvie followed with a single and Tanner DeBettencourt singled to load the bases. Davide Harris then singled down the left field line to score Birch and Ogilvie and the Vikings led 3-1.

The Green Knights got an unearned run in the top of the eighth to cut the margin to 3-2, but the Vikings struck for two runs in the bottom half of the inning. After Gabe Henriques reached on an error, a pair of walks loaded the bases with one out. Ogilvie’s sacrifice fly scored Henriques to put Lawrence up 4-2, and pinch-hitter Richie Foreman singled to score Wisniewski for a 5-2 edge.

The Green Knights loaded the bases on three walks and a fielder’s choice in the ninth, and Drew Doares came on in relief. After another walk forced in a run, Doares struck out Carlos Rodriguez to end the game.

Alex Brewer went 7.2 innings, allowed eight hits, struck out four and walked four, to improve to 3-1 on the season for Lawrence. Doares earned his first save of the season, but he had plenty more work to do.

Doares started the second game for the Vikings and pitched the first eight innings. Doares battled St. Norbert starter Matt Freeman in the nightcap. Freeman went the distance to get the win. He allowed five hits, struck out six and didn’t walk a batter. Doares gave up six hits, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

St. Norbert picked up a run in the second after Travis Mason doubled and later scored on a fielder’s choice groundout. The Green Knights went up 2-0 after Jose Godinez was hit by a pitch and later scored on a bad-hop infield single in the sixth.

Lawrence trimmed the margin to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Marc Linger singled and later scored on Jake Gordon’s single. The Vikings put runners aboard in the eighth and ninth innings, but Freeman closed the door both times to seal the victory.

Lawrence will host St. Norbert in another doubleheader on Sunday because of wet field conditions at Mel Nicks Field in De Pere.

Game one box score

Game two box score

Vikings cruise to victory over Foresters

LAKE BLUFF, Ill. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team rolled to an 8-1 Midwest Conference North Division victory over Lake Forest College on Friday night.

Lawrence (12-6, 3-0 MWC) remains unbeaten in North Division play and wraps up conference play on Sunday when it faces St. Norbert College. A win over the Green Knights would clinch the North Division title and a berth in the MWC Tournament.

The Vikings started the evening with a sweep of the doubles competition against Lake Forest (9-10, 1-3). Lawrence then won the Nos. 2-6 singles matches without dropping a set.

Jason Dunn, Max Zlevor, Craig Sherwood, Brian DeCorte and Jeremy Andereck were all singles winners for the Vikings.

Lawrence University 8, Lake Forest College 1

Singles competition
1. John Adams (LFC) def. Cooper Smith (LU) 6-0, 6-2
2. Jason Dunn (LU) def. Mike Riley (LFC) 6-1, 6-4
3. Max Zlevor (LU) def. AnthonyMykhaylovskyy (LFC) 6-3, 6-1
4. Craig Sherwood (LU) def. Kevin Lasky (LFC) 7-5, 6-3
5. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Jerry Wang (LFC) 6-2, 6-2
6. Jeremy Andereck (LU) def. John Snider (LFC) 6-4, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Jason Dunn/Max Zlevor (LU) def. John Adams/Mike Riley (LFC) 8-5
2. Cooper Smith/Jeremy Andereck (LU) def. AnthonyMykhaylovskyy/John Snider (LFC) 8-2
3. Craig Sherwood/Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Kevin Lasky/Jerry Wang (LFC) 8-2

Match Notes:
Lawrence University 12-6, 3-0 MWC North
Lake Forest College 9-10, 1-3 MWC North

 

 

Plans to renovate Banta Bowl unveiled by Department of Athletics

The Lawrence University Department of Athletics is proud to announce an exciting plan, just approved by the Board of Trustees, to take Vikings athletics to the next level.

An architect’s rendering of the renovated Banta Bowl.

The first phase of the plan is a campaign to raise $5 million to renovate the Banta Bowl. Lawrence University Trustee David Blowers ’82, a standout football players and captain of the Vikings during his senior year, will chair the effort.

The Banta Bowl has served Lawrence University student-athletes for nearly 50 years, and the time has come for this legendary venue to receive a dramatic makeover. Currently the home of the Lawrence football team, when renovations are complete, football and men’s and women’s soccer will share the stadium.

The renovations begin with raising the level of the playing field to make it wide enough for a regulation NCAA-sized soccer field. The playing surface will be replaced with a synthetic surface, which will diversify and increase the amount of usage for the stadium. Banta Bowl fans will benefit from new seating as the original fiberglass bleachers will be replaced.

Fans entering the Banta Bowl will do so through an inviting plaza on the north end of the stadium. The current buildings on that end of the stadium will be razed and replaced with new structures. The centerpiece of the new construction will be locker room space for the Vikings. In addition, a new visitors’ locker room will be built, along with spaces for officials, concessions, ticket sales and storage. The parking lot will also be refurbished. New lighting and a new LED scoreboard will also be added.

The last major piece to the Banta Bowl renovation is expansion of the press box to give the coaching staff of both teams an indoor space from which to watch the game from the stadium rim. With all Lawrence football games (and soccer games once that sport moves into the Banta Bowl) being webcast, the new press box would allow for more effective game broadcasts.

When phase I is complete, Lawrence will turn its attention to other Vikings needs, including, perhaps, renovations to Alexander Gym – and even an ice rink.

“With its support of this fund-raising project, the Lawrence Board of Trustees is ensuring that the future of Vikings athletics – football, soccer and all varsity programs, has never been brighter,” said Mike Szkodzinski, director of athletics and head hockey coach. “This project will help us attract the best scholar-athletes and also further connect Lawrence to the Appleton community.”

Both baseball doubleheaders vs. St. Norbert to be played at Whiting Field

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University will host both Midwest Conference doubleheaders against St. Norbert College this weekend.

Wet conditions at Mel Nicks Field in De Pere, Wis., have prevented the Green Knights from playing on their field so all four games in the series will be at Lawrence.

Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 1 p.m., and and Sunday’s doubleheaders starts at noon.