CHICAGO – The University of Chicago baseball team submitted a complete effort on Saturday afternoon, riding lights-out pitching and hot bats to a pair of victories over Ripon College by scores of 9-1 and 8-2.

The Maroons improved to 7-6 overall and 2-2 in the Midwest Conference North Division. The Red Hawks fell to 6-17 overall (2-8 MWC).

Game One – UChicago 9, Ripon 1

Tyler Sarkisian was the big story of the opening game at J. Kyle Anderson Field. The sophomore righthander put together a career-best performance on the mound and kept the Red Hawks flummoxed all afternoon. Sarkisian was on point from the start and retired the first 20 batters he faced. He also struck out the side in the fifth inning. Ripon finally spoiled the no-hit bid in the top of the seventh with two outs. A single and a double put the visitors on the board, but Sarkisian finished his outing with a strikeout.

UChicago's offense provided plenty of support right off the bat. First-year Truman Pierson led off the bottom of the first with a triple to right field and scored on senior Brian Lyle's infield single. Fellow first-year Max Chou made it 2-0 with an RBI double to left center.

The big blow came in the second inning. The Maroons racked up six runs on seven hits to seize control for good. The offense strung together five-consecutive singles, with RBI provided by first-year Noah Nelson, fifth-year senior Payton Jancsy and sophomore Blane Soper. Chou doubled again to plate one more. Then Soper came in to score on a wild pitch.

Junior Brett Riegler's infield single provided the final run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 9-0.

All told, the Maroons cranked out 17 hits while also making three errors defensively. Pierson and Jancsy were potent at the plate – both hitters went 4-for-5. Jancsy added two stolen bases among UChicago's four steals in the game. Chou (two RBI), Lyle (one RBI) and Riegler (one RBI) each collected two hits.

Sarkisian's final pitching line included nine strikeouts, one run and two hits in seven innings. He improved his record to 1-1 while lowering his season ERA to 1.75. Sophomore Matthew Guyton threw the final two innings, fanning three batters with one hit allowed.

Game Two – UChicago 8, Ripon 2

Sophomore pitcher Dylan White looked to pick up right where his teammate left off. The game two starter recorded nine-straight outs to begin his day while flashing his booming fastball.

Jancsy fired up the dugout with a triple to right field in the bottom of the first. He came in a few pitches later via Riegler's RBI single to the opposite field. Nelson provided an RBI single of his own in the bottom of the second.

Ripon struggled to figure out White and were limited to three hits in six innings. However, the visitors played small ball to scratch out an RBI groundout in the fourth and then scored on a wild pitch in the sixth.

UChicago came through with run support the very next frame. With two outs, Nelson cracked an RBI triple to right center. Pierson then delivered a bunt single RBI to make it 4-2. Then in the seventh, a throwing error on Soper's sacrifice bunt scored Jancsy from second base.

The Maroons put the game out of reach with three in the eighth. Nelson singled in one and Riegler collected two more RBI with a knock to center.

On the mound, first-year Drew Bryan turned in an eye-opening three innings of work to earn his first collegiate save. The rookie righthander blazed his scorching fastball past Ripon's bats as he struck out the first five batters he faced. He ultimately put down all nine batters in order to end it.

White (2-1 record) got the win with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

UChicago finished with 14 total hits and made one error. Riegler batted 4-for-5 with three RBI. Nelson went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Pierson was 3-for-5 with one RBI. Jancsy hit 2-for-4 with three runs scored.

Between the two games, Maroon pitchers struck out 23 batters with six hits allowed over the course of 18 innings.

NEXT GAMES:

• Sunday, April 25 @ Noon – UChicago at Ripon College (DH)