Box Score

MOLINE, Ill. - Ripon squandered an early four-run lead, then nearly completed a comeback in a 7-6 loss to 12th-ranked Webster University in the first game of the NCAA Central Regional. Trailing by one entering the top of the ninth, Ripon put runners on first and second with two outs, but couldn't score either as the game ennded on a diving catch by the Webster rightfielder that would have scored at least one.

The Red Hawks (24-15) got on the board first with three runs in the second inning. The inning was led off with a single by MWC North Player of the Year Adam Grambow, who would score one batter later when Tom Sawyer hit his sixth triple of the year, breaking the school record for a single season. Sawyer would cross the plate on an RBI double by Nick Schmitt, who would later score on a single by Dakotah Kirchenwitz. Ripon took a four-run lead in the third when Taylor Koth scored on a wild pitch.

That lead lasted until the bottom of the third, which saw Webster score six runs on eight hits. The first six batters of the inning reached base, including the big blow coming on a grand slam. The Gorloks would load the bases again later in the inning, but Tom Fish came on in relief for the Red Hawks to get the final two outs and leave them stranded.

Webster scored what turned out to be a much needed insurance run in the fourth on an RBI single to take a 7-4 advantage. Neither team would score again until the top of the seventh when Nick Hughes scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Bosquez to cut Webster's lead to two. Grambow scored on a Webster error in the eighth to pull the Red Hawks within a single run, but that is as close as it would get.

Grambow and Kirchenwitz led Ripon with two hits apiece, while Grambow scored a team-high two runs. Fish pitched well in relief, allowing one run on three hits in 5.2 innings of work.

The Red Hawks will play again on Thursday at Noon against the loser of today's Adrian (MI) vs. Wartburg (IA) game. That game will be played at Brunner Field in Moline, Ill., with the loser being eliminated from Tournament play.