March 11, 2008

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – Ripon continued their early season success Tuesday, defeating Mount Union College (OH) 12-8 for their third consecutive victory, after dropping their season opener. The Red Hawks received some help from the Mount Union pitchers, who put seven men on base via hit batsmen, while walking two more and throwing four wild pitches.

Matt Dwyer drew the first of those nine base on balls on the first at-bat of the game. Things only got worse for the Raiders from there. After recording the first out of the game, Mac Shumann was hit by a pitch, and Will Gillis reached base on a walk. Alex Duros followed by taking another base via the bean ball, giving Ripon a 1-0 lead without getting a hit. Chucky Schara would later get plunked as well, which allowed the second run to score. Ripon's first hit came with two outs on a bases-loaded double by Bryant Bullock, which drove in two runs to give Ripon a
4-0 lead.

After Mount Union put up one run in the second inning, Ripon added three more in the third, to take a commanding 7-1 lead. Bullock again drove in two runs in the inning, this time on a single to center field. Chucky Schara scored the final run of the inning on a wild pitch.

Mount Union added another run in the fourth, but the Red Hawks put the game out of reach with a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Dwyer hit his first home run of the season in the fifth, while Shumann and Gillis both scored a run in the sixth.

The Raiders put up a fight towards the end, scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth to cut the Ripon lead to

12-8. They continued to put the pressure on the Red Hawks, loading the bases with two outs, prompting manager Bob Gillespie to go to the bullpen. Bullock, who was one of the offensive stars of the day, came on in relief, getting the final batter of the game to pop up to short.

Bullock led the Red Hawks with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, which included four RBI, while also picking up the save. Dwyer and Shumann each finished with two hits and two runs scored apiece, while Schara accounted for Ripon's other hit, going 1-for-3 on the day. Freshman Adam Linsmeyer (1-0) led the way on the mound, picking up his first collegiate win. Linsmeyer scattered five hits over seven innings, allowing two earned runs, while striking out three batters.

Ripon will be in action again on Wednesday, as they'll face Drew University (NJ). That game will begin at 12:00 p.m. EDT and will be played at Florida College.