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WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. - Ripon pitcher Greg Basthemer started off Thursday night where Jordan Baitinger left off the previous day, no-hitting St. Thomas (MN) through the first three innings, but the Tommies offense would eventually catch up to the Ripon pitching. St. Thomas used three big innings in the fourth, fifth, and sixth to defeat the Red Hawks 9-3 and remain undefeated in the tournament, while handing Ripon their first loss of the double elimination event.
Ripon's offense also began game two much like the first contest, taking the lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. After St. Thomas (34-10) retired the first two Ripon batters, John Dunlavy and Mac Shumann hit back-to-back doubles to right centerfield for a 1-0 lead.
That lead would last until the fourth when Ripon (22-14) gave up their first hit of the tournament. After a lead off walk, St. Thomas hit back-to-back doubles of their own to take a 2-1 lead. The Tommies would add two more runs in the inning, thanks to a pair of singles. They would widen the gap in the following inning, which was started by a leadoff double. Another double would drive in the first run of the inning and two RBI singles later, St. Thomas led 7-1. The Tommies would get two more runs in the sixth thanks to a 2 RBI single to right center.
The Red Hawks tried to put a rally together in the bottom of the eighth, but could only manage two runs. Bo Johnson drove in Dunlavy with a sac fly, which was followed by an RBI single by Brandan Birschbach later in the inning. Ripon couldn't get anything going in the ninth, going down in order, putting them in "must win" mode for the remainder of the tournament.
The loss means Ripon will now play UW-Stevens Point Friday at 12:00 p.m. at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids. The Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from the Pointers earlier in the season at Stevens Point. The winner of that game will play St. Thomas Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
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