MONMOUTH, Ill. - Needing one win to win the 22nd Midwest Conference Championship in program history Saturday afternoon, Ripon's baseball team lost twice to Cornell College, giving the Rams their first-ever MWC title. The Red Hawks let the day's first game get away from them, squandering a lead mid-way through the contest thanks in large part to an 11-run inning by Cornell, who would win 21-13 to force a winner-take-all final game. The Rams then clinched the championship with an 8-2 win in which they never trailed.

Ripon (24-18) looked poised early on, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Joey Garza got them on the board with an RBI single up the middle, which was later followed by a run-scoring fielder's choice, and an RBI single to left from Noah Herried. Cornell (26-17) would tie things up with three runs in the fourth, but Ripon got all three of those runs back in the bottom of that frame, scoring on an error, a wild pitch, and an RBI single by Garza.

After an RBI single by Michael Barnes put Ripon up 7-3 after five innings, Cornell's bats came alive, scoring 11 runs on 10 hits in the top of the sixth, which saw 16 batters come to the plate. Ripon got back into the game with five runs in the bottom of the sixth, which included a two-run single by Tyler Nelson and a three-run homer by Riley Erickson, his third home run of the season, to cut Cornell's lead to 14-12.

Cornell scored five runs of their own in the top of the seventh, and after Nick Taranto connected on his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of that inning, Cornell scored two more runs in the eighth to put the game away.

The two teams combined for 31 hits in the game. Ripon saw each starter record at least one hit, with Erickson and Garza leading the way with two base knocks apiece. Erickson also scored three times, while Nelson, Erickson, and Garza each drove in a pair of runs.

That forced a final winner-take-all championship game, which saw Cornell strike first with a run in the bottom of the second. They would score four more runs in the third, with the big blow coming on a three-run homer. The Rams added three runs in the fourth, including a two-run homer, to take an 8-0 lead.

Ripon got on the board in the fifth on an RBI single up the middle off the bat of Garza. Ripon would load the bases in the seventh, but couldn't get anyone home, and they would rally again in the ninth, but could only manage one run on a sacrifice fly by Taranto. The Red Hawks left 13 runners on base in the game.

Both teams finished with nine hits. Ripon was led by Garza's 3-for-5 performance, while Barnes and Keegan Johnston each finished with two hits. Brody Marks was sensational in relief, allowing just one hit in 4.1 scoreless innings, lowering his season ERA to 1.38, which is the fifth-lowest single season ERA in program history (minimum 25 innings).

Ripon's 24 wins on the season are tied for the seventh-most in program history. They set a school record for saves (10), ranked second in school history for pitching strikeouts (271), tied for third in both hits (441) and stolen bases (51), and ranked 10th in runs (272), doubles (73), and total bases (599). They also turned 32 doubles plays on the year, which is tied for fifth in school history.