Green Bay, Wisconsin — Lawrence Baseball came through in a clutch, low-scoring battle Wednesday, using timely hitting and dominant pitching to secure a 2-1 win over Ripon.

The Vikings leaned on a composed effort on the mound and a late-game swing that proved to be the difference, as they held off the Red Hawks in a tight contest from start to finish.

Lawrence struck first in the second inning when Aeneas Pichardo delivered an RBI single to score Dylan Keelan and give the Vikings an early 1-0 lead. Ripon answered in the fifth, but Lawrence never wavered.

With the game tied 1-1 in the seventh, CJ Filipek stepped up in a big moment and launched a solo home run to break the deadlock and put Lawrence back in front for good. 

On the mound, Ari Smolar-Eisenberg set the tone with a strong start, going seven innings while allowing just one run and striking out seven. He worked efficiently and kept Ripon from ever gaining momentum.

The bullpen shut the door from there. Nick Katz provided a clean eighth inning, and Nathan Zumbrunnen locked down the ninth to earn the save, sealing the win for Lawrence.

At the plate, Filipek led the way with his game-winning homer, while Pichardo added an RBI knock. Dylan Keelan and Sage Beebe-Jenny each contributed key hits as Lawrence totaled seven hits on the day.

In a game defined by execution and composure, the Vikings delivered when it mattered most, securing a hard-fought conference win.