WAUKESHA, Wisconsin – The Ripon baseball program played its second doubleheader of the season on Saturday afternoon, falling at Carroll 8-7 and 7-5 at Frame Park.
 
Carroll (7-3) struck first in the bottom of the first in game one, using a triple and a Ripon (2-2) error to take a 1-0 lead. However, Ripon responded in the third – Jack Anderson opened the inning with a single, moving to second on a throwing error. After Anderson went to third on a groundout, Mason Schoenke singled to center field and tied the game at one apiece.
 
The Red Hawks ran into some trouble in the bottom of the third. A two-run double, followed by a Ripon error, brought in three runs as the Pioneers broke through to lead 4-1 after three complete. Ripon then threatened in the fourth and fifth – putting two runners on in each inning – but could not capitalize.
 
Trailing 4-1 in the seventh, Ripon got a run back on an RBI groundout by Chase Hanselman. However, the Red Hawks stranded Schoenke at third to end the frame.
 
Carroll added to its lead in the seventh – scoring three more runs – but Ripon pitcher Caleb Mammoser stranded two runners to prevent any further damage. Down 7-2 in the eighth, Gabriel Zielinski breathed new life into Ripon's chances, lacing an RBI double to score Brock Warren with one out. With runners on second and third, Anderson drove home two more with a double and just like that, the Red Hawks trailed 7-5. A two-out, double steal scored Anderson, and a Hanselman single tied the game at seven apiece.
 
The Pioneers led off the eighth inning with a double, and after a sacrifice bunt, Carroll got a sacrifice fly to take the lead. Ripon went down in order in the ninth to drop its first game of 2025.
 
Offensively, Anderson led Ripon with a 2-for-3 day, adding 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Schoenke (2x3, RBI, stolen base) also had a multi-hit day, while a total of seven different Red Hawks recorded a hit.
 
Blaine Wahlen got the start on the mound for Ripon, tossing 5.0 innings. He gave up six hits, four runs (three earned) and struck out six. Griffin Klein took the tough-luck loss for the Red Hawks, with the winning run in the eighth being credited to him.
 
As a team, Ripon had a slim 11-9 advantage in hits, though the Red Hawks had four times as many errors as their opponent (four to one).
Carroll continued its impressive output early in game two, going ahead 2-0 in the first inning on a two-run homer off Ripon starter Mitchell Lukasik. However, Ripon countered with a run of its own in the second. Zielinski singled with one out, and Anderson bunted him to second. Then, Brock Peterson connected on an RBI single to slice the deficit in half.
 
Things got away from Ripon in the bottom of the second. The Pioneers scored three more times, using a solo homer, a Ripon error and an RBI single to grab the early 5-1 edge.
 
Multiple errors by Carroll plated a pair of two-out runs for Ripon in the third, though the Red Hawks stranded two in scoring position to end the inning. Ripon inched closer in the fourth with a one-out RBI double from Eli DiCarlo, but a flyout double play ended the inning as the Red Hawks trailed 5-4 after three and a half.
 
Carroll used the long ball again in the fifth, doubling its lead with a solo shot. The opposition then added another run on a bases loaded hit by pitch with two outs before Michael Sheehy stranded the bases loaded.
 
Trailing 7-4 in the eighth, Ripon got one run back. With runners at the corners and two outs, Kyler Hickman scored on a Carroll error, trimming the deficit. However, Ripon stranded two in the inning. With the score 7-5 in the ninth, Ripon put the first two runners on base via walk. Unfortunately, three consecutive strikeouts ended the game.
 
Peterson was a perfect 2-for-2 at the dish with an RBI, while Zielinski (2x5, run) and Hanselman (2x4, walk, run, stolen base) also had multi-hit games. On the mound, Lukasik got the start and took the loss, tossing 4.0 innings. He allowed five hits, six runs (four earned) and punched out five.
 
Ripon had a slight 9-8 hit advantage, and committed three errors to Carroll's four. Each team left nine on base and struck out six times.
 
NEXT UP: Ripon opens its spring break trip on Saturday (March 15) as the Red Hawks face both Ramapo (8:15 a.m. CT) and William Paterson (11:45 a.m. CT) from Auburndale, Florida.
 
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