RIPON, Wisconsin – The Ripon baseball program started a stretch of seven games in seven days on a high note, routing Wisconsin Lutheran 14-4 in seven innings on Monday afternoon at Francis Field.
After a scoreless opening half inning, Ripon (12-17) got right to work in the bottom of the first. Using a walk, a stolen base and a wild pitch in the first four batters,
Kyler Hickman singled home
Chase Hanselman to give Ripon the early lead. The advantage was doubled in the second, as
Jack Anderson scored on a two-out wild pitch.
Things went awry in the top of the fourth, as Wisconsin Lutheran (13-17) scored four runs to take a 4-2 lead. However, Ripon responded with one of its biggest innings of the season. Six hits and one error led to seven runs in the bottom of the fourth for the Red Hawks, who took a 9-4 lead to the fifth.
Gabriel Zielinski singled home Anderson before Clark doubled home Zielinski. Two batters later,
Evan Olson drove home
Brock Peterson, and Hickman plated two more with a single on the next at-bat. Hitting for the second time in the inning, Anderson scored Olson with a two-out single to give Ripon a sizable cushion.
The score remained 9-4 until the sixth, when Ripon scored twice more. Hanselman scored Clark on a single, who led off the inning with a double. Two batters later, Hickman drove home his fourth run of the day on a sacrifice fly.
Three more runs scored in the seventh as Ripon sent fans home early and happy. Anderson scored after Peterson reached on a throwing error, and two runners were in scoring position with two outs. There, Hanselman ripped a single through the left side to plate
Remington Cox and Peterson as the game ended in seven innings.
Anderson had a three-hit game for Ripon, going a perfect 3-for-3 with 2 RBI, 3 runs scored and a walk. Four other Red Hawks had multi-hit games: Clark (2x3, RBI, 2 runs, walk), Hanselman (2x4, 2 RBI, 3 runs), Olson (2x4, RBI, run) and Hickman (2x2, 4 RBI, run). The top four hitters in the lineup went a combined 8-for-13 (.615).
Matt Miller got the win on the mound for Ripon. He went four complete innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs. He also struck out four.
Antonio DeBartolo and
Griffin Klein went a combined three innings, allowing two hits and no runs.
NEXT UP: Ripon visits Lawrence for a doubleheader on Tuesday (April 22) beginning at 1 p.m.
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