Wartburg rally in the ninth beats Rams

Cornell came painfully close to taking the final game of the Iowa Conference baseball series with Wartburg Monday night at Ash Park Field.

Two outs away from victory, Cornell saw its 6-5 lead disappear in a cold driving rain as the Knights rallied for five runs in the top of the ninth inning to escape with a 10-6 win.

The Rams (3-20 overall, 1-14 IIAC) played winning ball through most of the three-hour contest, regrouping from a pair of lopsided losses - 16-2 and 6-1 - to Wartburg in Saturday's home doubleheader.

Cornell took control early, striking for four runs in the first inning and building a 6-0 lead after four complete. The Knights (16-14, 9-6 IIAC) chipped away at the deficit with three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh, before completing the comeback in their final at-bat.

Cornell right-hander Justin Brown retired the leadoff batter in the ninth on a lineout to center field. Brown put the tying run on base with a walk, and then the Knights broke through with five consecutive hits, the last three all going for doubles. Cornell turned its third double play of the game to get out of the inning, but after the damage was done.

The Knights sent Cornell's offense down in the order for the first time all night in the bottom of the ninth.

Senior Andrew Patzke gave the Rams a quality start on the mound, leaving the game with a 6-3 lead in the seventh. Leadoff batter Matt Pfister led the team's nine-hit attack, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Ryan Clausen had a pair of hits, including an RBI single in the first. Pfister added a run-scoring hit in the fourth.

In Saturday's doubleheader, Cornell was outhit 30-8 and helped the Knights score eight unearned runs with eight errors in the field.

Junior Charlie Muir pitched seven solid innings in Game 2, scattering eight hits and allowing four earned runs in his fourth complete game of the season. Zach Rogers delivered an RBI single in the first that tied the game at 1-1, but the Rams were held scoreless the rest of the way. Nick Norris collected two of the team's six hits. Ryan Nordtvedt had a double and Pfister scored a run.

The Rams were held to two hits - singles by Rogers and Jesse Searls - in Saturday's opener. Robert Carlson gave Cornell a 1-0 lead in the first on a fielder's choice that scored Pfister. Wartburg erupted for six runs in the second. Searls scored on a wild pitch in the third that pulled the Rams to within 6-2. The Knights scored in every inning after, including a six-run sixth frame.

Adam Butler went five innings on the mound for Cornell. The senior surrendered 11 runs, only five of them earned.

Coming up - The Rams have a chance to play spoiler Wednesday night as they host the IIAC-leading Coe Kohawks (20-10, 12-6 IIAC) in the team's final home doubleheader. First pitch is 5 p.m.

Cornell heads to Pella this weekend for a three-game series against Central (18-12, 8-7 IIAC). The teams play a nine-inning game at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.