GALESBURG, Ill. - One day after losing two games at the Midwest Conference Baseball Crossover, Ripon redeemed themselves with wins in both of their games on Sunday on the final day of the event, winning 10-5 at Monmouth and 7-3 at Knox.

In the day's first game, Ripon struck early with a run in both the top of the third and fourth inning. Kyle Peterson scored on a fielder's choice to break a scoreless tie, before Keegan Johnston singled up the middle to drive in a run and give the Red Hawks a 2-0 advantage. Monmouth (17-10-1, 6-5 MWC) got on the board with a run in the fifth, but Ripon (6-14, 3-3 MWC) scored four in the sixth on a two-run double by Johnston, a Peterson RBI single, and a sac fly by Eric Hietpas.

Monmouth scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to cut Ripon's lead to three, but the Red Hawks got those two runs back in the eighth on a single by Nick Taranto. Monmouth mustered another run in the bottom of that frame, but Ripon put the game away with two more runs in the top of the ninth, scoring on a double steal, and an RBI single off the bat of Hietpas. 

Ripon finished with 14 hits, with Johnston leading the way with a perfect 4-for-4 display, as he also scored three runs and drive in three more. Riley Erickson added three hits, while Hietpas and Michael Barnes each had two. Austin Fox (3-2) earned the win, pitching 6.1 innings, while allowing three earned runs and striking out three batters. Brian Wilson registered his first career save.

In the second and final game of the day, Ripon and Knox were locked in a scoreless tie until the eighth inning when both team's offenses awoke. Ripon broke the tie with the first runs of the game in the top of that inning, breaking the tie on a Michael Barnes RBI single, before adding another run on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch. Knox (9-17, 2-7 MWC) answered with three runs in the bottom of that inning, cutting the lead in half on an RBI double, before taking the lead with a pair of runs, each coming on an error.

Ripon persevered in the ninth however, scoring five runs on two hits, and helped by two Knox errors, one of which allowed the go-ahead run to score with two outs in the inning.

The Red Hawks finished with eight hits, with three coming from Taranto, and two more coming from Barnes, who also scored a pair of runs in the contest. Kade Lancour started and pitched brilliantly, allowing just one hit in six innings of work, while striking out eight. Brody Marks (1-0) earned the win, allowing no earned runs on one hit and stirking out two in his one inning of relief.

With the wins, Ripon pulls to the .500 mark in conference play, leaving them very much in the race for a spot in the 2018 MWC Tournament. The Red Hawks will be in action again in a very important doubleheader Wednesday against Lawrence University. That twinbill will begin at 1 p.m. at Francis Field in Ripon and can be seen live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.