MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - Ripon's softball team split Saturday's doubleheader at Cornell, winning the first game 1-0 behind another dominating pitching performance by Junior
Lexi Reetz. The Red Hawks then lost the nightcap 6-0, with half of those runs coming unearned.
In the first game of the day, Reetz had her mojo working from start to finish, taking a no-hitter into the fourth inning, which was led off with a single to center, for Cornell's only hit of the contest. Reetz also struck out three batters en route to her fourth shutout of the season and 10th victory of the year, which is tied for ninth in school history for a single season.
The only run of the game came in the top of the sixth inning when Ripon's
Brooke Bauer drove in Haley Rierson with a single down the right field line. The Red Hawks finished with eight hits in the game, while leaving 10 runners on base. Reetz,
Micaela Encarnacion, and
Julia Sanchez each finished with two hits apiece.
In the nightcap, Ripon (12-16, 6-4 MWC) didn't fare as well, allowing Cornell (17-13, 5-3 MWC) to score two first-inning runs, both coming unearned on a two-out single. The Rams added three more runs in the fourth, scoring on a fielder's choice, a wild pitch, and a pickoff play. They would add another run on an RBI single in the sixth to cap the scoring.
Reetz (10-7) started the second game as well, allowing two earned runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work, while striking out one, before giving way to
Lilli Smith, who allowed one run in 2.2 innings of relief. Ripon finished with four hits, with three of those coming from Encarnacion, who finished the doubleheader with five hits in seven at-bats.
The Red Hawks will be in action again on Sunday when they'll travel to Knox College. That doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. in Galesburg, Ill.
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