Ripon Christian was patient at the plate Friday and it showed, as the Knights parlayed eight walks and a pair of hit batters into a 10-0 five-inning, mercy-rule win over host Ripon in a Trans-Valley League baseball contest at Mistlin Field, sweeping the two-game set with the Indians.
“A couple of timely hits mixed in helped,” Ripon Christian coach John de Visser said. “The walks got us going, but the hits scored the runs.
“We didn’t hit our way on. We were able to take advantage of some hit by pitches, and we were really selective early. We were stealing a little bit, our bunt game came in late, but it was the timely hits with two outs that got us the runs.”
Trenton Cloward (3 for 3, two RBI, two runs) helped pace a seven-run fourth inning for the Knights (2-5 TVL, 7-10 overall) with an RBI single, scoring Tyler Wadlow (RBI, two runs, double). Cloward was later forced to leave the game with an injured shoulder.
“I haven’t been doing too god lately,” Cloward said. “So, I have been working on it, and it finally came together.”
Josh Crivello (2 for 3, two RBI, run) added another RBI single in the fourth, plating Ricky Van Unen (two RBI, run).
“I have been struggling at the plate a little bit,” Crivello said. “I have been in the cage working on my swing and it finally came through.”
Jordan Luisi went the distance on the mound for Ripon Christian, striking out seven against two hits and five walks. Luisi got the first out of the game on a pickoff at first, and the last when he covered the plate on a wild pitch, tagging out the Ripon runner at home.
Luisi struck out the side in the third, stranding runners at the corners.
“I did something to my front leg the other day, but everything else felt OK,” Luisi said. “This was a turf mound, and it has a weird feel to it, because I am not throwing in spikes.”
Joseph Molthen and Hunter Weber got the lone hits for the Indians (2-4, 6-9), with
“We couldn’t throw strikes,” Ripon assistant coach Preston Gookin said. “That has kind of been our thing all year. We walk a lot of guys, one or two things unravel, and we can’t get ahead in the count, so the other team just sits fastballs.”
The Indians travel to Stockton today at noon to face Edison, and the Knights have next week off, going on the road Wednesday, April 16, to face Orestimba.
