Auburndale, Fla. - Ripon picked up their first win of the season Thursday afternoon, defeating Salve Regina 8-2 in a game that saw the Red Hawks collect 13 hits, with five going for extra bases. They followed that up with a 16-7 loss to Eastern Connecticut.

In the day's first game, Ripon (1-7) jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first. Michael Barnes broke a scoreless tie with an RBI double to left centerfield, while Nick Taranto added an RBI single and would later score on a double play ball.

Salve Regina (4-4) got on the board with a run in the top of the fifth, but Ripon got that run back in the bottom half of that inning when Taranto led off with a solo home run over the left field fence. Ripon added to their lead in the sixth, scoring four runs on four hits, as Barnes singled home a pair of runs, while Taranto and Riley Erickson also recorded an RBI on a double and single, respectively.

Taranto led Ripon's offensive attack with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, driving in three runs and scoring three more. Erickson and Eric Hietpas recorded three hits apiece, while Barnes finished with two hits. Drew Slade (1-1) earned the victory, pitching six innings of five-hit ball, allowing one earned run and striking out four.

Ripon's second game of the day didn't begin nearly as smoothly, as Eastern Connecticut (3-2) scored 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ripon got on the board in the top of the second on an RBI single off the bat of Kyle Rogers, but Eastern Connecticut answered with two runs in the bottom of that frame.

The Red Hawks cut into that lead in the fourth inning, scoring four runs on five hits, with RBI singles from Hietpas, Barnes, and Tyler Munoz, with the other run scoring on an RBI triple by Josh Oswald. Ripon added two more runs in the sixth on a sac fly and an error, but it wasn't enough to overcome that early deficit.

Hitpas, Barnes, Erickson, Oswald, and Munoz each finished the game with two hits to lead the Red Hawks.

Ripon will conclude their Spring Trip Friday against UW-Oshkosh. That game will begin at 5:45 p.m. Central Time at Lake Myrtle Park Field Two in Auburndale, Fla.