AUBURNDALE, Fla. - In Ripon's second day of action at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Sunday, the Red Hawks dropped both games of a doubleheader against Rowan University. Rowan took the day's first game 7-5, before completing the sweep with a 5-1 victory in game two.
The first game saw Rowan (7-2) jump on the Red Hawks (0-3) early with two runs in the bottom of the second inning, scoring on an RBI double and a throwing error. Ripon cut that lead in half with a run in the third when
Bennett Groves scored on a fielder's choice.
Rowan got that run back in the following inning on a sac fly, but Ripon plated two runs in the fifth when Groves scored on a groundout and
Riley Erickson drove in
Robbie Schuettpelz to tie the score at three. Ripon took their first lead of the game in the sixth, scoring two runs on four hits and two errors. Schuettpelz drove in the go-ahead run, while
Michael Barnes scored the other on an error.
That lead didn't last long, as Rowan answered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Just two of those runs were earned, as Rowan was helped by three Ripon errors in the inning. Ripon had one last chance in the seventh, but left a runner on second as the game ended.
The Red Hawks finished with 10 hits, with Groves leading the way with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, also scoring two runs.
Doug Ferrell added two hits, while Ramos recorded a team-high two RBI.
Brice Swick (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing four hits and four earned runs while striking out four batters in 5.1 innings of work.
Game two saw Rowan strike first again, scoring all five of their runs in the third inning on two RBI singles, a sac fly, and a two-run homer to left field. Ripon's lone run came in the sixth inning when Ramos scored on a groundout.
Groves added two more hits in the second game, making him a combined 5-for-6 at the plate in the two games combined.
Hector Aguinaga and Schuettpelz each added a base knock in the second game.
Matt Hecht (0-1) took the loss, allowing 10 hits and five runs, while pitching all seven innings.
Ripon will be in action again on Monday when they'll play another doubleheader against Franklin & Marshall. The first game of that double-dip will begin at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time at Chain of Lakes Park Field One in Winter Haven, Fla.
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