CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa-- The No. 12/16 Wartburg baseball team (32-10 overall) fell 9-3 to Luther in the semifinal of the winners bracket in the Iowa Conference Tournament in a game that featured a two hour and 27 minute rain delay. The Knights are still alive and will play Saturday at 1 p.m. in an elimination game.

WARTBURG vs. LUTHER HIGHLIGHTS


The Norse were the first team on the board on a sacrifice fly in the second to take an early 1-0 lead. They doubled their lead in the fourth on a RBI single.

The Orange and Black plated three in the fourth as senior Milton Croes (Noord, Aruba) drove in junior Jacob Thumann (DeWitt) for the first run. Senior Ryan Kemp (Keokuk) and Croes scored on junior Mike Brown's (Bettendorf) hit.

Then, a strong rain system moved into the area and the game was delayed 2:27.

When the game resumed, Luther tied the game in the top of the fifth on an RBI groundout and took the 4-3 lead on a single.
 
The Norse slugged a two-run home run in the sixth which made it 6-3, a two-run double and a dribbler down the left side that stayed fair to lead 9-3.
 
Thumann finished 3-4 and increased his hitting streak to ten and has safely reached base in the past 14 games which also tied his streak earlier this season.

Wartburg will play Saturday at 1 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.