Cornell snapped a four-game scoreless streak, but couldn't stop its losing spell in five conference contests last week.
The Rams were shut out, 7-0 and 7-0, in a doubleheader against Coe Tuesday in Cedar Rapids. Cornell was blanked, 4-0 and 8-0, at Luther Saturday before coming up just short Sunday in a 7-6 loss to the Norse.
"I thought we pitched well and played good enough defense (against Luther)," said Cornell head coach Adam Hadenfeldt, whose team dropped to 4-26 overall, 2-18 in the IIAC. "Offensively, it was a tough week. I was glad to see our guys put up some runs Sunday. That shows the fight is still there.
"The best we can do now is finish on a positive note. We'll see what we can do in the final four games. We have to make this week our conference tournament."
Cornell broke out of an offensive slump with 12 hits in Sunday's finale with Luther. The Rams battled back from an early 5-0 deficit and tied the game at 6-6 on a Matt Pfister (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) RBI single in the eighth inning. Luther (22-14, 10-10 IIAC) delivered the winning run on a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth.
Pfister went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Freshmen Zach Rogers (Cedar Rapids/Washington) and Milton Kurschner (Blanchardville, Wis./Pecatonica) had two hits apiece. Freshman catcher Ryan Nordtvedt (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) keyed the comeback attempt with a three-run double in Cornell's four-run seventh. Searls also had a double for the Rams.
The Rams managed just five hits in the first two contests with the Norse. Rogers accounted for the team's lone two hits - both singles - in Saturday's opener. Charlie Muir (Northbrook, Ill./New Trier) allowed seven hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings, matching his longest outing of the season. In Game 2, Luther took control with a five-run third inning.
Senior David Bartine (Des Moines/Roosevelt) tallied two of the Rams' five total hits in the Coe doubleheader.
Senior Day - Cornell will recognize its eight seniors during Saturday's home finale against Buena Vista. The group includes Bartine, Matthew Bliven (Nebraska City, Neb./Nebraska City), Andy Krekel (Des Moines/Roosevelt), Ryan Fincham (Englewood, Colo./Englewood), Spencer Tripp (North Liberty/Mount Vernon), Mathew Shimanovsky (Niles, Ill./Niles West), J.T. Pells (Northridge, Calif./Granada Hills) and Adam Harrington (Hudson/Hudson).
