Game 1 Box Score vs. St. Norbert
Game 2 Box Score vs. St. Norbert

RIPON, Wis. - For the third time in the last four years and the 20th time in school history, the Ripon College baseball team has won the Midwest Conference Championship, as they needed two games and 23 innings to do so on Saturday afternoon. After losing to St. Norbert, 5-2 in 10 innings, the Red Hawks rebounded to defeat the Green Knights 11-8 in a 13 inning marathon, clinching a berth to the NCAA Regional Tournament for the 11th time in school history.

Needing just one win on Saturday to become MWC Champions, the Red Hawks (23-14) struck first during their first game with St. Norbert (27-12), as Siudak drove in a run with a single to short in the bottom of the fourth inning. St. Norbert tied things up in the following inning and the Green Knights would grab their first lead of the game with a run in the eighth. Ripon saw their second run of the game cross the plate in the bottom of the eighth, as an Adam Grambow bunt single scored Kyle Bosquez from third to tie the score. After neither team scored in the ninth, they went to extras where St. Norbert ended things quickly with three runs in the top of the inning.

Bosquez finished the game with a team-high three hits, including his 15th double of the season, which ranks sixth in school history. Tom Sawyer also finished with three hits, while Grambow recorded two base knocks. Steven Blader started the game, but received a no deciscion, despite allowing just one run on seven hits in seven innings of work. Marshall Zahn (4-2) suffered the loss, as he pitched the final three innings in relief.

That set up a rematch in a second MWC Championship game in what was a winner-take-all matchup. The two teams combined for 32 hits in the game, while Ripon was aided by eight St. Norbert errors.

St. Norbert struck first in the second and final game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ripon would get both of those runs back in the fourth on RBI by Zach Bayreuther and Bosquez. The Red Hawks then gained all of the momentum with a four-run sixth inning, which saw the first five Ripon batters reach base. That included an RBI double by Bosquez, a run scoring single by Taylor Koth and two more runs scoring on a St. Norbert throwing error.

After Ripon scored two more runs in the top of the eighth on RBI singles by Grambow and Nick Schmitt, the Red Hawks entered the bottom of the inning with an 8-2 advantage. That lead was quickly erased in the bottom of the eighth as St. Norbert tied the game with six runs on three hits, with three of those runs coming on a bases loaded double by Alex Larsen.

Five innings later, the teams remained knotted up at eight, but that all changed in the top of the 13th. After drawing a one out walk, Nick Hughes would come around to score the go ahead run on a single by Dakotah Kirchenwitz. Bosquez would also score in the inning on a St. Norbert error, while Koth added an RBI for insurance, helping Ripon seal the victory and the championship.

Grambow finished with four hits and two RBI, while Koth, Sawyer and Kirchenwitz each recorded three hits. Bayreuther and Bosquez also chipped in with two hits apiece. Hughes was 1-for-5 at the plate, but drew a pair of crucial walks, scoring all three times he reached base. Tom Fish (6-2) earned the win, pitching 5.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out two and allowing just two hits.

The Red Hawks will now get ready for the NCAA Regional Tournament, which will begin Wednesday. They will find out when and where they will play on Monday morning. Please continue to check redhawks.ripon.edu for further updates.