CLERMONT, Fla. - Ripon's softball team brought their 2017 Spring Trip to a close Friday with a pair of eight-inning nailbiters. In their first game of the day, the Red Hawks fell to UW-Stevens Point by a score of 3-2, before salvaging a split with a 4-2 win over Norwich University, which saw Melanie Kobelt hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth for the go-ahead runs.

In the day's first game, UW-Stevens Point (4-5) got on the board early with two runs in the top of the second inning on a home run to centerfield by Katie Uhlenbrauck. Ripon (4-6) answered with two runs of their own in the following inning, scoring on an RBI single by Lexi Reetz and on an error, which allowed Reetz to cross the plate.

The score would remain tied at two into extra innings where UW-Stevens Point took advantage with a two-out pinch-hit RBI single by Justine Ertl. Ripon threatened in the bottom of the eighth, but left a runner stranded on third base as the third out was recorded.

Ripon finished the game with six hits, with two coming from Isabella Osborn. Reetz (3-3) pitched another gem of a game, allowing two earned runs on four hits, while striking out seven in her eight innings of work.

The day's second game was also tightly contested, with both teams scoring a run in the first inning. Ripon got on the board in the top of the inning on an RBI groundout, while Norwich (0-8) scored on a sac fly.

Ripon then grabbed the lead in the fourth, scoring a run on an RBI single by Jessica Kobelt. That lead would last until the sixth inning, when Norwich tied the score at two due to a fielding error by the Red Hawks. Norwich had a golden opportunity to win in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with one out, but Ripon's Julia Sanchez had other ideas, catching a fly ball for the second out and throwing out the runner from third, which was tagging up, for the third out to send the game into extra innings.

In the extras frame, Melanie Kobelt played the hero, belting a two-run home run over the centerfield fence with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Ripon then sent Norwich down in order in the bottom of the eighth to secure the victory.

The Red Hawks finished with six hits. Jessica Kobelt (1-3) earned the complete game victory, allowing just one earned run on eight hits, while striking out three.

Ripon will now head back to Wisconsin and will travel to Augustana (Ill.) next weekend where they'll play both Augustana and Dubuque on March 25 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, in Rock Island, Ill.