Vikings drop heartbreaker, lose two to Ripon

RIPON, Wis. — The Lawrence University baseball team lost an 11-inning heartbreaker to Ripon College in the opener of a Midwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday and then dropped the nightcap at Francis Field.

Ripon won the first game 1-0, and the Red Hawks fired a one-hitter and won 12-0 in the nightcap.

In the opener, both teams had scoring chances but the game was scoreless headed to the 11th inning.

In the top half of the 11th, Jake Gordon ripped a one-out double, and Matthew Holliday followed with a single to put runners at the corners for Lawrence (10-19, 2-12 MWC). The Red Hawks (13-12, 8-2) then got an inning-ending double play to end the threat.

In the bottom half of the inning, Michael Polcyn led off with a triple and then scored on Nick Schmitt’s single to win it.

Patrick Van Daalwyk tossed 10.1 innings of shutout baseball for Ripon, but it was Michael Anderson who picked up the win by getting the double-play ground ball in the 11th.

Holliday had a pair of hits for Lawrence, and Polcyn finished with two hits for Ripon.

In the nightcap, Marshall Zahn tossed a one-hitter for Ripon. The only hit he allowed was Holliday’s single in the seventh inning. Zahn struck out eight and walked one.

Polcyn and Nick Kita both went 3-for-4 to lead Ripon’s 17-hit attack.

Game one box score

Game two box score