RIPON — Ripon Christian’s pitching depth has it in the thick of the Trans Valley League title hunt.
But its dearth of outfielders Friday cost the Knights dearly against visiting rival Ripon.
Ripon took advantage of a two-man outfield over the final three innings and rode the dominant pitching performance of Justin Scott in a 7-0 victory that forces a three-way tie for second place.
Ripon Christian center fielder Justin Lemoine reaggravated a hip flexor injury in the fourth inning after sprinting out of the batter’s box on a grounder.
The Knights (5-3, 10-6 overall), already missing their starting outfielder who was a part of a school function, had just 10 available players, and designated hitter Wes Lown could not play the field because he shared the No. 9 spot with outfielder Nathan Hidalgo.
“We need our (starting) nine, and when a guy gets hurt it’s just a tough spot,” RC coach Jon DeVisser said. “We played pretty well through it, I thought. We kept competing, which I liked.”
Ripon (5-3, 8-11) capitalized on the wider gaps in the outfield, breaking up the pitcher’s duel between Scott and RC ace Robbie DeVries to plate two in the fifth, three in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Ryan Durrer (2 for 3) scored twice over that stretch, and Matt Ratto ran across three more. Jared Macedo was 2 for 4 with two RBIs to lead the way, while Koch finished 2 for 3 with two runs driven in.
DeVries and Scott both took no-hitters into the fourth inning until Hayden Koch and Jake McCreath led off with back-to-back singles. Scott gave up the first of his three hits in the bottom of the fourth to Clayton Prins.
“Robbie was dealing today,” Ripon coach Mitchell Evans said. “Robbie was throwing hard. We got a few breaks go our way, we all know that. We did come up with the hits when we needed them.”
DeVries struck out eight but walked five, gave up five hits and five runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings.
But the day belonged to Scott. The junior mastered his three pitches, including a devastating knuckleball, and fanned 10 to three walks and a hit batsman.
“Everything was working,” he said. “All my pitches were working today. I just had a good day.”
Prins accounted for two of RC’s three knocks, one being a double, and Dylan Van Vliet led off the seventh with a ground-rule double but was left stranded on third.
The Knights’ mounted their best threat in the sixth, but that ended with an automatic out. Elijah English was intentionally walked to load the bases, but with Lemoine unable to bat the rally was halted.
The two teams will close out the season series, with Ripon already taking two out of the three, Monday in a make-up game that rained out Wednesday.
“We’re still tied for second, and our first goal is always to make playoffs,” DeVisser said. “The secondary goal is to win, and that’s looking pretty tough.
“We can’t look ahead. We have to see Monday’s game, come out and compete. We’re still in this.”
But its dearth of outfielders Friday cost the Knights dearly against visiting rival Ripon.
Ripon took advantage of a two-man outfield over the final three innings and rode the dominant pitching performance of Justin Scott in a 7-0 victory that forces a three-way tie for second place.
Ripon Christian center fielder Justin Lemoine reaggravated a hip flexor injury in the fourth inning after sprinting out of the batter’s box on a grounder.
The Knights (5-3, 10-6 overall), already missing their starting outfielder who was a part of a school function, had just 10 available players, and designated hitter Wes Lown could not play the field because he shared the No. 9 spot with outfielder Nathan Hidalgo.
“We need our (starting) nine, and when a guy gets hurt it’s just a tough spot,” RC coach Jon DeVisser said. “We played pretty well through it, I thought. We kept competing, which I liked.”
Ripon (5-3, 8-11) capitalized on the wider gaps in the outfield, breaking up the pitcher’s duel between Scott and RC ace Robbie DeVries to plate two in the fifth, three in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Ryan Durrer (2 for 3) scored twice over that stretch, and Matt Ratto ran across three more. Jared Macedo was 2 for 4 with two RBIs to lead the way, while Koch finished 2 for 3 with two runs driven in.
DeVries and Scott both took no-hitters into the fourth inning until Hayden Koch and Jake McCreath led off with back-to-back singles. Scott gave up the first of his three hits in the bottom of the fourth to Clayton Prins.
“Robbie was dealing today,” Ripon coach Mitchell Evans said. “Robbie was throwing hard. We got a few breaks go our way, we all know that. We did come up with the hits when we needed them.”
DeVries struck out eight but walked five, gave up five hits and five runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings.
But the day belonged to Scott. The junior mastered his three pitches, including a devastating knuckleball, and fanned 10 to three walks and a hit batsman.
“Everything was working,” he said. “All my pitches were working today. I just had a good day.”
Prins accounted for two of RC’s three knocks, one being a double, and Dylan Van Vliet led off the seventh with a ground-rule double but was left stranded on third.
The Knights’ mounted their best threat in the sixth, but that ended with an automatic out. Elijah English was intentionally walked to load the bases, but with Lemoine unable to bat the rally was halted.
The two teams will close out the season series, with Ripon already taking two out of the three, Monday in a make-up game that rained out Wednesday.
“We’re still tied for second, and our first goal is always to make playoffs,” DeVisser said. “The secondary goal is to win, and that’s looking pretty tough.
“We can’t look ahead. We have to see Monday’s game, come out and compete. We’re still in this.”
