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De PERE, Wis. - For the fourth consecutive season, and eighth out of the last ten, the Ripon College baseball team is headed to the NCAA Division III Regional Playoffs. The Red Hawks defeated St. Norbert 6-5 in come-from-behind fashion in Saturday's Midwest Conference Championship game to earn an automatic berth to Regionals.
Ripon (21-13) drew first blood, scoring the first run of the game in the top of the first, thanks to three consecutive two-out singles, capped by Chevy Schultz's RBI base knock, which scored Mac Shumann from second. That lead lasted until the third, when St. Norbert (26-10-1) scored two runs of their own. Adam Frost led the inning off with a single, which was followed by a single by Brian Perszyk, who advanced to second on an error, allowing Frost to score from first.
The Green Knights would add to that lead in the fourth inning. Teddy Fleming reached base on an error to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Fleming crossed the plate, thanks to an RBI double by Frost. St. Norbert then took a 4-1 lead in the fifth, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Kyle Thomas, which scored John Maki.
Just when it looked like the two teams may need to play another championship game in this double-elimination tournament, Ripon began a rally in the eighth. After St. Norbert retired the first two batters, Kyle McFarland drew a walk to start things for the Red Hawks. One single and one walk later, Schultz was hit by a pitch, allowing McFarland to score. Bo Johnson continued the momentum with a two-RBI single. Nick Whitty then walked to load the bases, which was followed by yet another walk, allowing Schultz to score from third, giving Ripon their first lead since the third inning.
St. Norbert wasn't done just yet however. Tony Jandron led the bottom of the eighth off with a walk. That was followed by two consecutive singles, the second of which scored Jandron from third base. They threatened to do more damage after Frost bunted for a single to load the bases with no outs, but a double play put a kink in those plans. Perszyk flied out to right and Frost was thrown out at first with no runners advancing. Ripon's Bryant Bednarek got Dan Weitzel to ground out to end the inning.
That double play shifted the momentum back to Ripon's side, and was continued by Olson's lead-off single in the top of the ninth. McFarland then walked and both runners advanced on a sacrifice, which was followed by an intentional walk to John Dunlavy to load the bases. Schultz gave Ripon the lead for good with a sacrifice fly, scoring Olson. St. Norbert led the bottom of the ninth off with a single, but couldn't get more than that, losing to the Red Hawks twice in as many days.
Ripon was led by McFarland and Shumann, who each finished with two hits. Schultz drove in three runs, while Johnson recorded two RBI. Bednarek (4-1) got the win in relief, pitching two innings of scoreless ball, while allowing three hits.
The Red Hawks will now play the waiting game, as the Regional match ups will be decided Monday morning. The first Regional games will be Wednesday, May 16, in Wisconsin Rapids.
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