(BLOOMINGTON, Ill.) - The 24th-ranked and third-seeded Thomas More College baseball team rallied to defeat sixth-seeded Ripon College, 5-3, today (Thursday, May 19, 2011) to advance in the NCAA Central Regional at Jack Horenberg Field in Bloomington, Illinois.

With the win, the Saints improve to 29-8 and will play Carthage College tomorrow (Friday, May 20) at 2:30 p.m. EST/1:30 p.m. CST.  With the loss, the Red Hawks fall to 21-19 and will play either Illinois Wesleyan University or Buena Vista University at 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST.

Ripon took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third, but the Saints plated two runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 2-2.  Ripon then scored a run in the fifth to retake the lead at 3-2, but Thomas More scored two in the seventh and one in the eighth to come back for the 5-3 win.

Sophomore Grant Lewis (Mason, Ohio/Mason) pitched seven and two-third innings and gave up three runs (all earned) on six hits and struck out two to earn the win on the mound.  Sophomore David Etscheid (Union, Ky./Ryle) pitched one and one-third innings of relief and gave up no runs and no hits and struck out one to earn the save.

Senior Sam Schmeltzer (Aurora, Ind./South Dearborn) led the Saints at the plate as he was two-for-four with two runs batted-in.  Four other Saints had multiple hits in the game as freshman second baseman Jason Handley (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) was two-for-five, junior first baseman Andrew Thole (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) was two-for-five with two doubles and a run scored, sophomore right fielder Ryan Darner (Burlington, Ky./Covington Catholic) was two-for-five with a RBI and junior catcher Andrew Clements (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) was two-for-four.