Warriors Battle Back To Clip Red Hawks

MILWAUKEE – Freshman Jake Schwall (West Allis, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) had three RBIs and the Wisconsin Lutheran College baseball team battled back from a two-run deficit late to defeat Ripon 7-6 in non-conference action on Tuesday at a blustery Neumann Family Field.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Wisconsin Lutheran 7, Ripon 6
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (13-19), Ripon (9-20)
• Location: Neumann Family Field, Milwaukee, Wis. | Attendance: 48

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• The Warriors scored first in the second when Schwall's sac fly to left plated Jake Grollo (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) for a 1-0 Warriors lead.
• WLC maintained its slim lead until the fifth when Ripon scored three times, twice on a two-run double and another on a throwing error.
• Schwall knotted the score at 3-3 in the sixth with his two-out, two-run single to center that scored Grollo and Kasey Zdroik (Plainfield, Wis./Tri-County).
• Ripon capitalized on a dropped fly ball deep in the gap and an RBI double to grab a 5-3 lead in the seventh.
• WLC got one run back in the bottom of the frame when Brett Jakel (Reeseville, Wis./Waterloo) crossed home plate on a wild pitch.
• Wisconsin Lutheran stormed back in the eighth with three runs to grab the lead. KJ Banse (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) beat out a fielder's choice for an RBI as Curtis Engelbrecht (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Northland Lutheran) scored. 
• A wild throw on the double play attempt sailed past the first basemen, and Kyle Koth (Zion, Ill./Kenosha St. Joseph) crossed the plate the give the Warriors the lead.
• Brock Vredeveld (Waterloo, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) then reached to score Banse to give WLC a valuable insurance run.
• The Red Hawks battled back in the ninth as they scored a run, but Engelbrecht stranded the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at first to seal up the victory.
• The Warriors had 11 hits in the game, led by two apiece from Koth and Joe Hanson (La Crosse, Wis./Logan).
• Sid Lehman (Mayville, Wis./Mayville) did not factor in the decision, but had a strong outing as he allowed four runs on six hits in 6.1 innings.
• Engelbrecht improved his record on the mound to 2-1 in 2.2 innings of relief, allowing two runs on three hits.

FOR THE FOES

• Nick Kita and Nick Schmitt had three hits each for Ripon. Schmitt and Josh Oswald drove in two runs each.
• Red Hawks' starter Nick Henning received a no-decision after allowing three runs on nine hits in 6.0 innings.
• Brian Wilson suffered the loss in relief, giving up four runs (one earned) in 1.1 innings of work.

UP NEXT

• The Warriors, who are still alive for a conference tournament berth, play the first two of six remaining conference games on Saturday. WLC travels to Verona for a 12:00 p.m. NACC doubleheader against Edgewood (13-16, 9-5 NACC). Links to live stats and video will be available for both games at WLCSports.com.