WESTFIELD, Ind. -- The Ripon baseball team opened its season with three games over two days at Grand Park, falling to DePauw University on Friday before dropping Saturday contests to Hope College and Wartburg College.

Game One -- DePauw 15, Ripon 5

DePauw struck first with a run in the opening inning and added another on a solo homer in the fourth to build a 2-0 edge. Ripon broke through in the fifth when freshman Trey Page (Land O Lakes, Fla., Land O Lakes HS) delivered an RBI single to score freshman Nolan Hollander (Crystal Lake, Ill., Crystal Lake Central), trimming the deficit to 2-1.

The Red Hawks surged ahead in the sixth. Junior Owen Gerhardt (Greenville, Wis., Fox Valley Lutheran HS) worked a leadoff walk, and senior Alex Pankratz (Waupaca, Wis., Waupaca HS) followed with a two-run homer to left-center to give Ripon a 3-2 advantage. However, DePauw responded with a three-run blast in the seventh to reclaim control.

Ripon battled back in the eighth, capitalizing on walks and a DePauw error to even the score at 5-5. The momentum was short-lived, as the Tigers erupted for 10 runs in the ninth inning to pull away.

Pankratz paced the offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run and two RBI. Graduate student, Gabriel Kennedy (DeForest, Wis., Northwestern St. Paul) added a triple, while Page and senior Michael Sheehy (Elk Grove Village, Ill., James B. Conant HS) each recorded hits. On the mound, junior Matt Miller (Orland Park, Ill., Carl Sandburg HS) worked five innings, allowing two runs while striking out one.

Game Two -- Hope 15, Ripon 5

Hope wasted little time jumping in front, plating five runs in the first inning and adding single runs in the third and two more in the fourth to take an 8-1 lead.

Ripon chipped away in the middle innings. Junior Crete Slattery (Lake Geneva, Wis., Badger HS) delivered a two-run single in the fifth to score seniors Jack Anderson (Oconomowoc, Wis., Oconomowoc HS) and Kyler Hickman (Tracy, Calif., Merrill F. West HS). In the sixth, sophomore Bailey Schepp (Oakfield, Wis., Oakfield HS) scored on a sacrifice fly by Pankratz, and Gerhardt crossed the plate later in the inning to cut the deficit to 8-5.

The Flying Dutchmen answered with four runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to secure the win.

Slattery finished with two RBI, while Anderson doubled and reached base three times. Hickman and freshman Raidan Shibayama (Honolulu, Hawaii, Punahou School) each collected hits. Ripon drew 10 walks in the contest but was limited to six hits overall.

Game Three -- Wartburg 15, Ripon 5

Wartburg built an early cushion with three runs in the first and seven in the second. Ripon responded in the third as Hickman and Anderson each drove in runs on sacrifice flies to make it 10-2.

The Red Hawks added three more in the fifth. After Shibayama was hit by a pitch and Page reached base, Pankratz singled and later scored. Anderson followed with an RBI single, and Slattery added another RBI knock to bring Ripon within 10-5.

Wartburg answered with five runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain separation.

Anderson led the way offensively, going 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI. Slattery also had two hits and an RBI, while Page scored twice and swiped two bases. Six different pitchers saw action for Ripon in the finale.

Ripon travels to Franklin, Ind. for three more games Feb 27-28 and March 1 as the Red Hawks continue their early-season schedule.