Titans Win Nonconference Contest With Red Hawks
Zach Taylor hit a pair of go-ahead home runs in his first two at-bats as the UW-Oshkosh baseball team defeated Ripon College, 8-3, to extend its winning streak to nine games Tuesday (April 26) at Tiedemann Field.
Taylor hit a solo homer to give the Titans a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning then launched a two-run shot for a 4-2 advantage during the third frame. The home runs – both to left field with two outs – were Taylor's team-leading sixth and seventh of the season.
UW-Oshkosh (19-10) snapped a modest two-game losing streak to Ripon College and has now won five of the last seven meetings in the nonconference series.
The Titans outhit the Red Hawks, 11-9, on Tuesday. Taylor, Chase Marsh, Eric Modaff and Matt Scherrman each accounted for two hits for UW-Oshkosh. Scherrman hit a pair of doubles, stole a base and had two runs batted in. Modaff walked twice, earned three stolen bases and scored three runs.
UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Logan King improved his season record to 3-0 after allowing two runs on seven hits in six innings. King did not issue a walk and struck out four batters during his third start of the year.
LJ Waco pitched two innings and yielded an unearned run in relief of King. Matt Sorrells then worked a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout to secure the UW-Oshkosh victory.
Ripon College (14-14) mustered a run in the top of the first inning despite opening the contest with two outs and bases empty as Nick Terrell laced a triple and scored on Samuel Ott's double.
Modaff singled to lead off the home half of the first inning. Modaff then stole second and third bases before scoring on a throwing error by Ripon College's catcher to tie the score at 1.
After Taylor's long solo home run provided the Titans their 2-1 edge, the Red Hawks responded with the tying run in the top of the second inning on Cam Stampfli's infield single that scored Keegan Johnston.
UW-Oshkosh answered in the third inning, retaking the lead for good with three runs. The Titans went ahead to stay on error that allowed Modaff to cross the plate. Taylor's two-run blast that turned out to be the game-winning hit increased UW-Oshkosh's lead to 5-2.
The Titans later upped their advantage to 8-2 following another three runs during the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single from Modaff that scored Marsh and Scherrman's two-run double that brought home Modaff and Eli Davila.
King yielded just one hit after the second inning, retiring 12 of the last 14 batters he faced before exiting after six frames.
Johnston went 2-for-3 and walked once to lead Ripon College.
Ripon College starting pitcher Hunter Thompson (0-1) was charged with the loss, ceding eight runs on eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
UW-Oshkosh returns to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action with doubleheaders at UW-La Crosse on Saturday and Sunday (April 30-May 1).
Photo by Steve Frommell, UW-Oshkosh Athletics