FOND DU LAC, Wis. - It took all of 11 innings, but Ripon's baseball team defeated Marian University Wednesday night by a score of 5-4.

The Red Hawks (9-22) started the game on the right note as Brice Swick scored on a passed ball in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Ripon added two more runs in the third on RBI singles by Nick Taranto and David La Tour.

Marian (11-25) scored their first runs in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs on a single from Nick Bastien. The Sabres doubled their run total in the fifth thanks to a bases loaded walk and a sac fly to give them their first lead of the contest.

Ripon tied things up in the sixth on an RBI double by La Tour. The score would remain tied at four through the ninth and neither team could break that tie in the 10th. That set the stage for Randy Finger to play hero, as he roped a two-out single to center field to score Robbie Schuettpelz from second base for the go ahead-run.

Ripon finished with seven hits, led by La Tour's 2-for-5 performance, which included a pair of RBI. Ryan Maier (3-0) earned the win, pitching four scoreless innings of relief, while allowing just two hits and striking out three.

The Red Hawks will be in action again on Saturday at Beloit in what is a huge doubleheader on the final weekend of the regular season. Ripon enters the weekend one-half games behind Beloit (13-17-1, 7-5-1 MWC), meaning the Buccaneers can clinch a spot in the MWC Tournament with a sweep on Saturday, which would eliminate the Red Hawks from postseason contention. Ripon must take three of four games against Beloit this weekend in order to qualify for the MWC Tournament, as the teams will finish the regular season with a doubleheader on Sunday in Ripon.