BELOIT, Wisconsin – Four unanswered runs by Beloit in the middle innings doomed the Ripon baseball program on Saturday as the Buccaneers won the series rubber match over the Red Hawks, 5-4, at the Strong Stadium Complex.
 
Taking advantage of three Beloit (11-6, 4-2 MWC) errors through the first three and a half innings, Ripon (4-9, 1-2 MWC) jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the early going. After two scoreless innings, the Red Hawks struck first in the top of the third. After Kaleb Burns was hit by a pitch with one out, Alex Pankratz singled – and advanced to third on an error – to score Burns. The next at-bat, a throwing error by the catcher on a strikeout kept the rally going for Ripon, who utilized a double steal by Nick Tenny and Pankratz to open up a 2-0 lead.
 
Beloit responded in the bottom half, however. With the bases loaded and one out, an RBI fielder's choice cut the Buccaneer deficit in half.
 
Ripon kept the pressure on in the top of the fourth. Nick Terrell led off the inning with a double, and after a sacrifice bunt, Remington Cox reached on a fielder's choice to add to the advantage. Two batters later, Burns singled home Cox and the Red Hawks held their biggest lead of the day at 4-1.
 
Again, the Bucs chipped away in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on second and third and no outs, an RBI single and a run-scoring double play on back-to-back at-bats brought Beloit within one, though Brandon Burge stranded two runners in the inning to preserve the lead.
 
The Bucs took the lead in the bottom of the sixth, using a pair of two-out hits to grab their first advantage of the day – one that would hold up for the final three innings.
 
Ripon had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the eighth looking to re-take the lead, but a pair of strikeouts ended the threat. The Red Hawks also had a runner in scoring position in the top of the ninth with one out, but a strikeout and fly out ended the game.
 
Pankratz led Ripon with two hits, going 2-for-5 with a run scored. Burns (1-for-3, RBI, run), Terrell (1-for-2, run, 2 BB), Cox (1-for-4, run) and Michael Sheehy (1-for-4) also recorded base hits.
 
Caleb Mammoser got the start for Ripon, going 3.0 innings while giving up three hits and three earned runs. Burge took the loss, pitching 2.2 innings. He scattered three hits and two earned runs.
 
NEXT UP: Ripon stays on the road for a doubleheader at Midwest Conference-leading Lawrence on Tuesday (April 2) beginning at 1 p.m.
 
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