Box Score vs. Monmouth
Box Score vs. Cornell

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - Ripon suffered two tough losses during day two of the Midwest Conference Softball Classic on Saturday afternoon, losing both games by a single run. They began the day with a 2-1 loss to Monmouth, which saw the Fighting Scots score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. That was followed with a 1-0 loss to Cornell, with the only run of the game coming on a solo home run.

Against Monmouth, the Fighting Scots struck first, scoring a run in the third inning on a Ripon throwing error to take the first lead of the game. Ripon answered in the fourth when Cassie Bilotto connected on her second solo home run in as many days.

Both teams were held in check for the majority of the contest until the final inning. Monmouth led the bottom of the seventh off with a walk and after loading the bases with one out, the Fighting Scots singled to left centerfield for the game-winning run.

Ripon collected five hits in the game, while Monmouth recorded three, including two in the final inning. The Red Hawks were led by Jordan Hester's 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Stephanie Rieuwpassa (4-6) allowed just one earned run on three hits, while striking out 10.

The Red Hawks' second game of the day was also a pitcher's duel, as Cornell outhit Ripon 5-4. The only run of the game came in the top of the fifth when Cornell's Rebekah Ozga hit a two-out solo home run over the centerfield fence.

Ripon's four hits came from Bilotto, Korrine Peterson, Karisa Simonsen and Ashley Gnacinski. Rieuwpassa (4-7) allowed one run on five hits, while striking out 12 more batters.

The Red Hawks will conclude the 2013 MWC Classic on Sunday against Knox and Grinnell. Those games will begin at 10 a.m. and Noon, respectively, at Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.