Box Score vs. Illinois College
Box Score vs. Lake Forest

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - The Ripon softball team experienced a roller coaster of emotions during Friday's opening day of the Midwest Conference Classic. They defeated Illinois College in come-from-behind fashion in the first game, winning 5-4 thanks to a two-run single by Jordan Hester in the top of the seventh inning. That was followed by a 10-0 loss to Lake Forest in a game that saw Ashley Parkkonen take a no-hitter into the fifth.

It looked like it could be a long day from the outset, as Illinois College (9-13, 4-4 MWC) scored three runs in the bottom of the first of the opening game, plating two runs on a double and another on an error. The Red Hawks (6-16, 3-3 MWC) would settle down after that, scoring their first run in the third when Hester singled to center, allowing Anna Kasper to score from second. Illinois College got that run back in the bottom of that inning, but that would be the last run the Lady Blues would score.

Ripon slowly climbed back into the game, pulling within one with a two-run fourth. In that inning, Cassie Bilotto led off with a single, which was followed by a double off the bat of Ashley Gnacinski. Those two would later score on RBI groundouts from Haylea Hoskins and Cassie Olson.

Neither team would score again until Hester's heroics in the seventh, which scored Olson and Parkkonen, whom each reached base on a single. Illinois College managed to get the potential tying run to third base with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Gnacinski recorded a strikeout and a groundout to end the game.

Hester and Gnacinski each finished with two of Ripon's eight hits. Gnacinski (5-8) earned the victory, allowing four runs in seven innings, while striking out two.

The second game of the day was a pitcher's duel for the first four innings, with Ripon recording the only two hits in that span. In addition to taking a no-hit bid into the fifth, Parkkonen also struck out a career-high six batters in her 4.1 innings of work. That was before the damage came in the form of a two-run homer to centerfield by Lake Forest's Whitney Leiderman, breaking the scoreless tie. The Foresters (16-4, 8-0 MWC) would get five more runs in that inning to take command of the game and would score three more on a home run by Sam Ritsema in the sixth to put the game away.

The Red Hawks will try to put that game behind them on Saturday when they'll take part in day two of the MWC Classic against Cornell and Knox. Those games are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, at Eastside Center in East Peoria, Ill. LiveStats will be available for both games at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/ripon.portal.