MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - The Ripon College baseball team dropped its final game of the regular season 3-1 to conference rival Cornell College this afternoon. Ripon Took the series 2-1 when it swept the doubleheader yesterday. The Red Hawks finished at 22-16 overall and 15-9 in the MWC while Cornell improved to 21-19 and 11-13 in the conference.

Next up for the Red Hawks is the Midwest Conference Baseball Championship that starts on Friday. Ripon will be the second seed in the tournament and face the University of Chicago at 10 AM. The Red Hawks won the season series 2-1 against the Maroons this year.

Both teams went scoreless in the first two innings before Cornell took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third.

The Red Hawks were able to tie the game in the top of the fifth on a pair of hits. Zach Albrent opened things up with an infield single to second. He later advanced to second when Jack Anderson singled to the left-center field gap. Michael Sheehy's fielder's choice sent Albrent to third and put runners on the corners. Anderson was out on the play at second. Both Albrent and Sheehy executed a double steal perfectly, which allowed Ripon to tie the game. With the go-ahead run on second back-to-back strikeouts ended the Red Hawks' threat.

Neither team would score the next two innings until Cornell reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the eighth as it pushed a pair of runs across to go up 3-1 and hold on for the win.

Ripon starter Blaine Wahlen threw five strong innings allowing one run (earned) on four hits while striking out four for the no-decision.

Nick Tenny paced all Ripon hitters as he finished the day with two hits while teammate Cam Stampfl finished with the team's only extra-base hit (a double) of the day.