ESCALON – After getting blanked by the Ripon Indians back on April 23, Ripon Christian has been on a tear, turning in its sixth straight win Tuesday with a 7-5 victory over the Escalon Cougars in Trans Valley League play.
Ripon Christian (11-3 TVL, 16-6 overall) handed Escalon its second loss and its third loss on the entire season. The Knights rolled behind a sterling effort from pitcher Clayton Prins, who went 6 1/3 for Ripon Christian, surrendering just one earned run in arguably Ripon Christian’s biggest victory of the season.
Prins also contributed from the batter’s box, going 2 for 3 and driving in three and scoring three times. Both Elijah English and Steve Vander Molen had two hits apiece, with English driving in the Knights’ first runs with a two RBI double in the second inning.
Escalon got a decent effort from left-handed starter Justin Martinez, who struck out 12 in the contest, yet yielded each of Ripon Christian’s seven runs scored.
Aaron Fay , Arie den Dulk and Kalvin Prins all collected hits for the Knights, with den Dulk and Fay coming around to score. Both English and Vander Molen also scored runs for Ripon Christian. Vander Molen also came on in relief for the Knights, setting down the final two Cougars for the save.
The Knights have the possibility of pulling in a portion of the TVL title with a win over the Cougars again today. Escalon (12-2, 20-3) would have to beat the Knights to earn the outright TVL crown, while a loss would give the two clubs matching TVL marks and Ripon Christian possession of the tiebreaker due to a season sweep of Escalon.
This would leave the Knights as the TVL’s No. 1 seed, matching them up against the No. 2 seed of the Mother Lode League. The TVL’s No. 2 seed would put Ripon Christian against the Western Athletic Conference’s No. 1 seed, likely to be Central Catholic.
Escalon will meet up with the Knights to decide the league championship at 4 p.m.
Ripon Christian (11-3 TVL, 16-6 overall) handed Escalon its second loss and its third loss on the entire season. The Knights rolled behind a sterling effort from pitcher Clayton Prins, who went 6 1/3 for Ripon Christian, surrendering just one earned run in arguably Ripon Christian’s biggest victory of the season.
Prins also contributed from the batter’s box, going 2 for 3 and driving in three and scoring three times. Both Elijah English and Steve Vander Molen had two hits apiece, with English driving in the Knights’ first runs with a two RBI double in the second inning.
Escalon got a decent effort from left-handed starter Justin Martinez, who struck out 12 in the contest, yet yielded each of Ripon Christian’s seven runs scored.
Aaron Fay , Arie den Dulk and Kalvin Prins all collected hits for the Knights, with den Dulk and Fay coming around to score. Both English and Vander Molen also scored runs for Ripon Christian. Vander Molen also came on in relief for the Knights, setting down the final two Cougars for the save.
The Knights have the possibility of pulling in a portion of the TVL title with a win over the Cougars again today. Escalon (12-2, 20-3) would have to beat the Knights to earn the outright TVL crown, while a loss would give the two clubs matching TVL marks and Ripon Christian possession of the tiebreaker due to a season sweep of Escalon.
This would leave the Knights as the TVL’s No. 1 seed, matching them up against the No. 2 seed of the Mother Lode League. The TVL’s No. 2 seed would put Ripon Christian against the Western Athletic Conference’s No. 1 seed, likely to be Central Catholic.
Escalon will meet up with the Knights to decide the league championship at 4 p.m.
— Jagada Chambers
