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RIPON, Wis. – The Red Hawks coasted to victory in game one of Thursday's doubleheader against Lawrence University, winning 8-0, while also winning the second game 8-3 in a tightly contested game, before pulling away in the final innings. This continues Ripon's recent dominance over the Vikings, who have now lost 10 of their last 11 meetings with the Red Hawks.
Ripon's bats were awake from the very beginning in game one of the conference-opening doubleheader, scoring one run in each of the first three innings. Nick Whitty gave them the lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single, which scored Mac Shumann. Brett Wegner added to that lead with a solo home run in the second, while Whitty added his second RBI of the game in the third inning on a single to the shortstop.
Lawrence (3-7, 0-2) would finally hold Ripon scoreless in the fourth, but Ripon (10-3, 2-0) wasn't done putting runs on the board. Alex Duros scored on an error in the fifth inning to give Ripon a four-run lead, and Nick Beaman had the biggest blow of the game, a three-run home run in the sixth. Beaman would add his second home run in the eighth inning, crushing the pitch over the left field wall to cap the scoring.
Beaman led the Red Hawks with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate, including four RBI and three runs scored. Whitty and Shumann added two hits apiece in the winning effort. Matt Dwyer (2-1) picked up the win, pitching a complete game four-hitter, while striking out five Lawrence batters.
The second game started out similar to the first with Ripon scoring once in the bottom of the first, this time on a Shumann single, which scored Bryant Bullock from third base.
The game tightened up quickly, as Lawrence added their first run of the day in the top of the third on a single to right center. The Vikings added two runs the following inning, scoring on a single and an error to take a 3-1 lead. Ripon cut that lead in half in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to a Bullock single, which allowed Scott Gillespie to score.
Both teams went scoreless for the next two innings, before Ripon tied it in the seventh inning on Mac Shumann's first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. After holding Lawrence in the top of the eighth, Ripon took the lead in the bottom of the inning when Brandan Birschbach laid down a textbook bunt single, scoring Wegner from third. Bullock then gave them some breathing room with an RBI single, before Beaman broke the score wide open for the second game in a row. The freshman connected on his third home run of the day, a three-run shot, to put the Red Hawks in the lead 8-3.
Shumann and Bullock each finished with two hits and two RBI apiece, while Beaman produced a team-high three RBI, all on one swing of the bat, his only hit of the second game. Mike Lloyd (2-2) pitched eight innings for the win, allowing one earned run, while striking out six.
Ripon will go for the season sweep of the Vikings on Saturday, in a doubleheader at Lawrence. The first game of the twin-bill will begin at 12:00 in Appleton.
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