APPLETON, Wis. -- Too many free passes were the problem for the Lawrence University baseball team Wednesday in a 12-6 Midwest Conference loss to Ripon College at Whiting Field.
    Lawrence issued eight walks and hit four batters and seven of those 12 runners came around to score.
    The Vikings actually had a 12-11 edge in hits, but Ripon took advantage of the walks and hit batters to pull away.
    Edan Perez had another big game at the plate for Lawrence as he went 4-for-5 with a double and scored a run for Lawrence (7-13, 3-6 MWC). Jacob Charon went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in a team-high three runs for the Vikings. Parker Knoll went 2-for-4 and scored twice, and Jake Land and Nick Heerde each notched a double for Lawrence.
    Ripon (11-11, 7-4) pulled out to an 8-2 lead after the top of the fourth, but the Vikings scored three times in the bottom half of the inning with the help of an error and two bases-loaded walks. Lawrence closed to 8-6 when Charon drove in Knoll in the bottom of the sixth.
    Ripon pulled away with three runs in the top of the eighth, and the Vikings threatened in each of the last two innings but failed to score.
    Elden Santana, who has been outstanding this season, struggled with his command today at the outset and lasted just 1.1 innings for the Vikings. Mitchell Lukasik went 4.1 innings in relief and got the win.