While the top three hitters in Riverland’s lineup have done most of the damage this season, some of their other hitters stepped up in a two-game sweep by scores of 12-2 and 10-0 over Anoka-Ramsey’s baseball team at Dick Seltz Field Sunday.

RCC’s No. 4 through No. 9 hitters contributed 10 hits in the doubleheader to help RCC (32-6 overall) win both contests in five innings.

“We had a couple of games where the top of the order struggled and the bottom of the order didn’t come through,” RCC left field Kyle Young said. “To see them come through in a game like this is huge and it takes a lot of pressure off our backs. When the whole team hits, we’re unstoppable. When nine guys are getting extra base hits, it’s pretty hard to lose and it’s fun to watch.”

After falling behind 1-0 in the opening game, Reece Steckler hit a two-out solo home run in the second to tie it up and Young blasted a two-out solo homer to right-center field in the third inning and Dustin Fritz opened the fourth inning with a solo blast to right field that made it 3-1. Brian Voigt added a two-run double to make it 7-1.

The game ended when Brad Winkelman and Voigt had back-to-back RBI-doubles in the bottom of the fifth.

RCC took an early 3-0 lead after two innings in the nightcap and Young knocked in three runs with a two-out bloop double to center field to make it 7-0. Shawn Pape doubled in two runs in the fourth to set up the 10-run rule.

On the mound, RCC threw its top two pitchers in Mitch Jaeger and Voigt. Jaeger allowed just three hits and an unearned run in his last four innings after a slow start and Voigt cruised to a three-hit shutout.

“We definitely liked our chances today with those guys,” RCC head coach Scott Koenigs said. “Neither one of them threw their best, but we always expect the other team to not score much when those guys are out there. They did what we expected to do and sometimes we take for granted that every time they pitch they’re going to shut the other team down.”

The win moves RCC into a tie for second place in the MCAC South with Rochester and the Blue Devils trail Dakota County by one game. RCC hosts Dakota on Wednesday, with a doubleheader set to start at 2 p.m.

“We hold it in our own hands, and if we don’t get it done, it’s our fault,” Koenigs said. “I can’t wait for Wednesday and it should be good baseball, with two of the top of the teams in the country facing off. Hopefully the wind’s blowing out a little to right field.”

A-R 1 0 0 0 1 — 2 5 3

RCC 0 1 1 5 5 — 12 12 1

RCC pitching: Mitch Jaeger (W), 5 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 K

RCC hitting: Shawn Pape, 0-for-3, RBI, 2 R, SB, BB; Kyle Young, 2-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB; Brian Voigt, 3-for-4, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, R; Brad Winkelman, 2-for-3, double, 2 RBIs, BB; Derek Hahn, 0-for-3; Dustin Fritz, 2-for-3, HR, RBI, R; Reece Steckler, 2-for-3, HR, RBI, R; Jeff Huth, 0-for-2, R, BB; Winston Smith, 1-for-3, RBI, R

A-R 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 3

RCC 2 1 4 3 X — 10 7 0

RCC pitching: Brian Voigt (W), 5 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 2 K

RCC hitting: Pape, 2-for-3, double, 3 RBIs, 2 R, BB; Young, 1-for-3, double, 3 RBIs, BB; Voigt, 1-for-2, RBI, R, HBP; Winkelman, 0-for-3; Hahn, 0-for-1, 2 BBs; Fritz, 0-for-2, HBP; Renne Araujo, 2-for-3, double, 2 R; Huth, 1-for-2, double, 2 R, BB; Smith, 0-for-2, 2 R, HBP; Chris Caldwell, R, SB