MAUSTON, Wis. - In what was officially Ripon's 2016 'home' opener, the Red Hawks traveled an hour and a half to play UW-Stevens Point at Woodside Park in Mauston, Wis. due to Francis Field being unplayable. The trip didn't pay off for Ripon, as they never held a lead, losing both games to the Pointers by scores of 8-4 and 8-2, respectively.

In the day's first game, UW-Stevens Point (6-8) scored four runs in the top of the second on three hits and two Ripon errors to take an early lead. Ripon (2-12) then battled back with three runs in the fourth, as Nick Kita, Josh Oswald and Michael Barnes each collected an RBI. The Pointers would get two of those runs back the following inning, before Ripon made the score 6-4 with a run in the sixth on Kita's first home run of the season, a solo shot over the center field wall in the deepest part of the park. That would be as close as Ripon would get, with UW-Stevens Point adding a pair of insurance runs in the seventh to seal the victory.

Ripon managed six hits in the contest, with Barnes and Kita each recording two. Kita also tied a game-high with two runs scored. Drew Slade (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and striking out four in six innings of work.

UW-Stevens Point finished with seven hits, with two apiece coming off the bat of Ben Gerber and Sawyer Schultz. Gerber also scored two runs. Kody McHugh (1-0) picked up the win, allowing four runs on five hits and striking out four in six innings, while David VanVliet notched his first save of the season with three innings of one-hit ball.

The day's second game played out similarly with UW-SP taking an early lead with three runs on three hits in the top of the first, all of which scored on a home run by Cody Hanke. The Pointers added two more runs in the second on an RBI double and a sac fly, before Ripon could get on the board. The Red Hawks would score their only runs in the bottom of the second, both coming on a single by Cullen Oren. The only other runs in the game came in the top of the sixth when the Pointers added three runs on four hits.

Ripon again finished with six hits in the second game, with two coming from lead-off batter Isiah Ramos. Brice Swick (0-3) suffered the loss, allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits and striking out two in five innings of work.

UW-Stevens Point registered 17 hits in the second game, with lead-off batter Ray Greco leading the way with a 5-for-5 performance, including four doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. Four other players finished with two hits, including Hanke, who recorded four RBI. Heinrich Walder (1-1) earned the win in relief, allowing just one hit in three innings, while striking out two.

The Red Hawks will try to regain their winning form on Saturday when they'll travel to St. Norbert College for a conference doubleheader. The first game of that twinbill will begin at Noon in DePere, Wis.