Red Hawks Gain Revenge For Earlier Loss To Titans

Mitchell Busch drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Ripon College defeated UW-Oshkosh, 7-5, in a non-conference game on Wednesday (April 29) at Tiedemann Field.

The Titans' three-run sixth inning knotted the score at 5, but Busch capped his 4-for-4 day with a run-scoring single that gave the Red Men a 6-5 advantage in the top of the eighth frame. Ripon College added an insurance run in the ninth inning on a single by Nick Kita, and Red Men closer Jeff Schuurmans pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his third save of the season.

Trailing 5-2 heading into the home half of the sixth inning, UW-Oshkosh tallied three runs on four hits to forge a tie. Jacob Pohlman tripled home one run, Jack Paulson followed with a run-scoring single, and John Eagan sent in the equalizer with a two-out single.

Ripon College (16-12) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning off of UW-Oshkosh's Brennan Mrotek, who was making his first start of the season. Michael Polcyn opened the scoring with a two-run homer, and Nick Uhen plated another with a groundout.

Busch scored one with his second of four singles in the third inning, and UW-Oshkosh's Tyler Kozlowski lifted a sacrifice fly to cut the Titan deficit to 4-1 after three complete.

The Red Men increased their lead to 5-1 in the fourth inning on a Dakotah Kirchenwitz, but the Titans closed within 5-2 in the fifth frame on an RBI single by Kozlowski.

Kirchenwitz, Polcyn and Nick Schmitt each added two of Ripon College's 13 hits. Both of Schmitt's hits were doubles.

Red Men starter Marshall Zahn pitched two scoreless innings but did not factor in the decision.

Michael Anderson, the fifth of seven pitchers used by Ripon College, improved his season record to 4-0 by tossing 1.2 scoreless frames. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one after entering with one out in the sixth inning.

Eagan and Kozlowski both registered two of UW-Oshkosh's eight hits.

Phil Spock (0-1), who relieved Mrotek to begin the second frame, suffered the loss after yielding three runs on six hits in 6.1 innings. Spock recorded four strikeouts and walked one.

The Red Men's victory avenged a 5-2 loss to the Titans on April 22 in Ripon.

UW-Oshkosh (21-15) remains at home and returns to conference play when it hosts UW-Platteville for two games on Saturday (May 2) at Tiedemann Field.