MONMOUTH, Illinois – The Ripon baseball program pulled ahead of Monmouth with a four-run seventh inning, but the Scots used a two-run eighth to defeat the Red Hawks 8-7 on Sunday afternoon at Glasgow Field.
 
For the third consecutive game this weekend, Ripon (9-17, 6-9 MWC) struck first and did so early. Creating chaos on the basepaths, three stolen bases and two base hits brought home the opening run for the Red Hawks in the first. With runners at the corners and one out, a double steal by Nick Terrell and Michael Sheehy put Ripon up early, though Terrell was stranded at third to end the inning.
 
Monmouth (15-12, 8-6 MWC) grabbed a lead of its own in the bottom half of the first, scoring a pair on an RBI single with a Ripon error on the same play. A third run crossed home in the bottom of the second via a sacrifice fly as the Scots led 3-1 through two innings.
 
Ripon punched back in the third, cutting its deficit in half on an RBI single by Nick Tenny which scored Alex Pankratz. However, Tenny was stranded at second to end the inning.
 
The scoring picked up in the sixth as Ripon finally tied the game. With the bases loaded and one out, a sacrifice fly by Kaleb Burns evened the game at three, but the Red Hawks left two runners in scoring position to end the inning.
 
Monmouth had a big bottom of the sixth – scoring three runs – to take the lead right back. A one-out RBI single, followed moments later by a two-out, two-run double, gave the Scots a 6-3 advantage heading into the later innings.
 
The Red Hawks would not go away and finally pulled in front again in the seventh. After the first two batters were retired, Kyler Hickman doubled while Jack Anderson and Owen Gerhardt walked to load the bases. Then, Zach Albrent reached on an error which plated two and Ripon was right back in it. With runners on second and third, Brock Peterson laced a pinch-hit, two-run single to put the Red Hawks in front.
 
The Scots grabbed the lead back for good in the bottom of the eighth. With one out and the bases loaded, an RBI single tied the game and kept the line moving. The next at-bat, an RBI fielder's choice put Monmouth in front, though relief pitcher Orion Rieden stranded runners at the corners to end the frame.
 
Ripon had the tying run on base in the ninth, but a pair of strikeouts ended the game.
 
Offensively, Pankratz (2-for-4, run, walk) and Albrent (2-for-4, run, walk) each had two-hit games to lead the Ripon offense. Sheehy (1-for-4, run), Peterson (1-for-1, 2 RBI), Terrell (1-for-5), Tenny (1-for-5, RBI), Hickman (1-for-4, run) and Gabriel Zielinski (1-for-3) recorded hits for the Red Hawks as well.
 
Brady Wotruba got the start on the mound, throwing 5.1 innings while giving up six hits and five earned runs. The freshman also struck out five, his second outing this season with 5+ strikeouts. Brandon Peace took the loss, his first of the season.
 
NEXT UP: Ripon returns home to face UW-Whitewater on Tuesday, April 23 at 2 p.m.
 
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