By Steve Marovich, Athletics Staff Writer/2022 Baseball Contact

The Carthage College baseball team (15-25) closed out its 2022 season on Sunday, May 8 with a 19-1 win over non-conference opponent Ripon College (17-21) at Francis Field in Ripon, Wis.

The Firebirds, who did not qualify for this year's College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Baseball Tournament, ended their conference schedule on Saturday, May 9 with a stunning doubleheader sweep of No. 11 and CCIW-champion North Central College (29-10, 13-4), 9-1 and 6-4, at Zimmerman Stadium in Naperville, Ill.

In the Ripon contest, Carthage took a 5-0 lead in the second inning.  Matt Felber hit an RBI-double.  Cody Tostrud hit a bases-loaded, three-run double, and Austin Prybylinski hit an RBI-single.  P.T. Boeye's two-run double in the third inning bumped the Firebirds' lead to 7-0, and P.J. Moser's RBI-double in the fourth made it 8-0.

The Red Hawks scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 8-1, but the Firebirds exploded for 11 runs in the fifth to go up by 18 runs, 19-1.  The first run in the fifth scored on an infield error, followed by a two-run double by Collin Callahan, an RBI-single by Moser, a two-run single by Felber, an RBI-double by Krekling, Felber scoring on a passed ball and an inning-capping three-run home run by Callahan.  The game was called after seven innings due to a 10-run rule.

Carthage collected 14 hits.  P.J. Moser went three-for-four with two RBI, Collin Callahan two-for-three with three runs scored and five RBI, Matt Felber two-for-two with four runs scored and three RBI and Cody Tostrud two-for-five with three RBI.

Starting pitcher Matt Willett (1-1) worked the first four innings and was credited with win.  Willett allowed just an unearned run on a hit and two walks.  Troy Siranovic blanked the Red Hawks on two hits and a walk over the final three frames to earn his first save.  Noah Johnson (0-1), the first-of-seven Ripon pitchers, took the loss.