MOUNT VERNON – Right-handed ace
Kole Hinrichsen capped an outstanding Cornell career with a complete-game four-hitter, although the Rams came up short on both ends of Saturday's Midwest Conference baseball doubleheader with Ripon, 1-0 and 7-5, at Ash Park Field.
The Rams slipped to 20-19 overall and 10-13 in the MWC, taking them out of postseason contention with one game remaining.
The Rams close out coach
Robbie Dombrowski's first season on Sunday afternoon for Senior Day against Ripon. Fifteen seniors will be honored pregame. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
Ripon (22-15, 15-8 MWC) prevailed in a Game 1 pitcher's duel, scratching for one unearned run against Hinrichsen (5-3). The Cornell senior fanned six Red Hawks to move into a tie for second place on the program's career strikeouts list with 213, seven shy of the all-time record held by Nick Boeset (1999-02).
Cornell outhit the Red Hawks in the opener, 6-4. The lone extra-base hit – a Ripon double – plated the decisive run with two outs in the top of the sixth inning.
Kale Rose and
Colin Gierula each recorded three hits in the doubleheader. Sophomore designated hitter
Lincoln Greasley went 2-for-4 and cracked one of the Rams' two doubles in Game 2.
Cornell took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2 on an RBI groundout from
Seth Beals. Senior left-hander
Daulton Montagna (2-2) retired the first 10 batters he faced, before the Red Hawks charged ahead with four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
The Rams rallied for two runs in the fifth and threatened again in the ninth.
Darren Mancke and
Vince Zipperer each collected their third hits of the game with RBI singles in the bottom of the ninth, pulling the Rams within 7-5.
Cornell had the tying run on base when Ripon induced a game-ending fielder's choice grounder to secure the win and the No. 2 seed in next week's MWC Tournament.
Ripon starting pitchers Brock Warren and Mitchell Lukasik worked eight innings apiece, earning the victories on the mound. Closer Brock Turkington earned saves in both games.
