AUBURNDALE, Fla. - Playing the final game of their 2019 Spring Trip Friday afternoon, the Ripon College baseball team suffered a 12-8 loss to Benedictine (Ill.).

Ripon (3-6) fell behind early, allowing a run in the top of the first, but the Red Hawks would get that run back in the bottom of the second when Nick Terrell reached on an error, scoring Keegan Johnston from second base to tie the score at one.

Benedictine (7-5) opened a big lead with an eight-run fourth inning, but Ripon battled back, scoring once in the bottom of that inning on an RBI single by Jacob Pankratz and four more times in the fifth. That fifth inning was keyed by a two-run single off the bat of Joey Garza, and a two-run double by Johnston to cut the lead to 9-6.

After Benedictine added another run in the seventh, Ripon scored two of their own on an RBI triple by Johnston and a run-scoring groundout by Terrell. Benedictine then added two insurance runs in the ninth to put the game out of reach.

Ripon out-hit Benedictine 13-12. Garza and Johnston led the Red Hawks with three hits apiece, while also each scoring two runs. Michael Barnes and Nick Taranto added two base knocks apiece. Kade Lancour pitched well in relief, allowing just one earned run on two hits and striking out five in four innings.

The Red Hawks will now head back to Wisconsin, where they will open their 2019 home schedule on Wednesday against Marian University. That game will begin at 3 p.m. at Francis Field, and can be seen live, with LiveStats, at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.