Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

DePERE, Wis. – Much like last season, the 2008 Midwest Conference North division title will be decided on the final day of the regular season. The two front-runners, Ripon and St. Norbert, split their doubleheader on Saturday, giving the 23rd-ranked Red Hawks a one-game lead as the series shifts to Ripon for a pair of games on Sunday. Ripon had a chance to wrap up the division on Saturday after winning the first game 3-2, but they were shutout for just the third time all season in game two, losing 7-0 in a game that could have clinched the title.

Runs were hard to come by in the first game, as the two best offensive teams in the MWC combined for just 15 hits. Ripon (25-6, 12-2 MWC) got on the board first in the third inning, when Mac Shumann singled home Bryant Bullock from second base.

St. Norbert (22-9, 11-3 MWC) tied the game the following inning, but Ripon took that lead right back in the fifth, as Shumann drove in another run, this time plating Brett Wegner, who had reached base on an error to lead off the inning. Ripon added to that lead in the top of the seventh when Shumann was again involved in the scoring play, this time crossing the plate on a single by John Henrickson.

The Green Knights made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, thanks to an error by the Red Hawks, which allowed Tony Jandron to reach base. Jandron then advanced to second on a wild pitch and made it to third on a single, before scoring on another wild pitch. Ripon pitcher Mike Lloyd settled down after that, striking out the next two batters to end the game.

Shumann led the Red Hawks with two hits and two RBI, while Henrickson, Wegner, Alex Duros, and Nick Whitty each collected one hit apiece. Lloyd (6-3) pitched a complete game for the win, allowing one earned run on nine hits, while striking out five Green Knight batters.

The second game of the day was all St. Norbert. They scored five runs in the second inning and never looked back. Ripon allowed just six hits, but made three fielding errors, which led to six unearned runs by the Green Knights. They would add two runs in the fourth to complete the scoring in a game that the Red Hawks will try to put behind them.

Wegner and Nate Paul each finished the second game with two hits, while Shumann and Nick Beaman also recorded base knocks. Matt Dwyer (4-3) took the loss, giving up five runs, all unearned, on three hits, in three innings of work.

Ripon needs at least a split of Sunday's doubleheader to win the MWC North division. St. Norbert will take the division with a sweep of the Red Hawks. That twin-bill is set for 12:00 p.m. at Francis Field in Ripon.