CHICAGO – The University of Chicago baseball team secured a thrilling walk-off victory to end game one, then leaned on its bats to secure game two of a home doubleheader sweep of St. Norbert College on Saturday.

The Maroons improved to 5-2 while the Green Knights dropped to 6-5.

Game One – UChicago 2, St. Norbert 1  (8 innings)

A pitcher's duel typified game one at J. Kyle Anderson Field. Both teams could only muster one run apiece in the scheduled seven-inning affair. UChicago took the early edge in its home debut in the bottom of the first. First-year Will Benner doubled to left field, then scored after a pair of wild pitches.

However, the Maroon bats went cold from that point on, only mustering one hit in the subsequent six innings. Three St. Norbert singles in the fourth inning tied the game up at 1-1.

On the mound, sophomore Michael Allegri was keeping the Green Knights in check as well. Over the course of his 4.2 innings, Allegri allowed one run on three hits with one walk. He was relieved in the fifth by first-year Drew Bryan, who produced a stellar pitching line of three strikeouts and two hits allowed in 3.1 innings.

One of the top highlights of the day came in the top of the sixth. With a runner on third with one out, SNC flied out to right field, with the runner tagging up to home plate. First-year outfielder Max Chou caught the ball and uncorked a rocket to junior catcher Brett Riegler, whose sweeping tag cut down the runner for the third out.

The game went to extras tied at 1-1. Then sophomore Blane Soper led off the eighth inning with a single. Senior Eisuke Tanioka came in to pinch run and advanced to second base on a sacrifice. With two outs, Benner stepped to the plate and singled to center field. Tanioka came barreling home and beat the throw with a head-first slide for the dramatic walk-off win.

UChicago finished with four hits and one error. Benner went 3-for-4 himself with an RBI. Bryan picked up his third win of the season (3-0).

Game Two – UChicago 10, St. Norbert 4

A second-inning solo home run by St. Norbert was answered by UChicago with a double steal that scored sophomore Matthew Guyton in the bottom of the frame.

The Green Knights went up 3-1 in the top of the third. The advantage was short lived. The Maroons' emphatic response featured six runs on four hits in the bottom of that same inning. Fifth-year senior Payton Jancsy singled up the middle to drive in one, then later scored on an error to tie the game. Riegler knocked an RBI single to left center, followed by an RBI groundout by Tanioka and a two-run single courtesy of first-year Noah Nelson. Just like that, UChicago was up 7-3.

In the sixth, SNC shrunk the deficit to 7-4. The hosts promptly added three more to their tally. A wild pitch brought in Nelson, while RBI singles were provided by Jancsy and Riegler.

In the final stats, the Maroons collected 12 hits while making one error. Riegler and Jancsy posted three hits and two RBI each. Nelson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Guyton was 2-for-4.

First-year pitcher Phil Hogan got the start, allowing three runs in three innings. Sophomore Cole Silva (1-0 record) was the winning hurler with three innings of relief. He struck out three with one unearned run. First-year Dean Casey pitched one scoreless inning.

NEXT GAMES:

• Sunday, March 28 @ 1:00 PM – Illinois College at UChicago (DH)