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UGLY VICTORY: Norway Gets Soggy Regional Win
 Click the AUDIO button to hear Alex Ortman post-game comments. NORWAY---The Norway High School baseball team battled several rain delays, and then beat a tough Painesdale-Jeffers Jets team in come-from-behind fasion, 4-3, in the MHSAA Division Four Regional Semifinal at Norway's Marion Park. The Knights scratched across enough runs against Jeffers pitchers Levi Frahm and Cody Turner, and even though Norway did not get credited with a single base hit, the Knights took advantage of four Jets errors and were able to move runners around to rally from a 3-1 deficit. "This win meant a lot to me and my team," Ortman said. "We've been looking forward to this since the beginning of the season. We've had this circled on our calendars, and we were able to perform tonight." The two-run rally after yet another rain delay came in the top of the fifth inning. "The rain delays were very unfotrtunate," Ortman said. "But it didn't matter because we were able to come out on top and get the Dub." With the Knights trailing 3-2, Carter Cazzola and Ian Popp drew walks to lead off the inning. Two sacrfiive bunts by Cameron Varda and Landon Amundson, along with a wild pitch and a throwing error, plated three runs, giving Norway a 4-3 lead. One inning earlier, and just before a lot of rain, the Knights scored in the fourth inning on two errors and a sacrifice fly by Bryce Adams. Jeffers (17-4) had scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning with base hits by Chase Kinnunen, Kasen Helminen, and Turner. A bases-loaded walk to Frahm tied the game at 1-1, and then a fly ball by Bryson Kangas got by Cazzola in left field, bringing home two runs, and a 3-1 Painesdale lead. But the Knights played small-ball, took advantage of mistakes, to take the lead, and then the Baij boys did what needed to be done on the mound. Cole Baij threw the first 4 2/3 innings, giving up all three runs (one earned) on four hits. Owen Baij gave up three hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief. In the end, the Knights did what they had to do, and now head below the Bridge for the regional championship game in Harbor Springs on Saturday. Norway will take on a familiar foe, the Rudyard Bulldogs. The Bulldogs eliminated Harbor Springs, 6-4, on Wednesday. "Very proud of me, proud of my teammates, proud of my coaches for being positive," Ortman said. "So, let's get this Dub on the road, and let's look forward to maybe getting a state champioonship." |
