MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - Ripon's softball team picked up their first conference victory of the season Sunday afternoon in what ended as a doubleheader split with Cornell College. The Red Hawks won the first game 4-2, before losing the nightcap 4-0.

In the first game of the day, Cornell (5-14, 3-1 MWC) struck first with a run i the bottom of the first, before Ripon took the lead with two runs in the second. Andrea Mihaljevich tied the score with a single up the middle, while Lexzie Hassemer gave the Red Hawks the lead with a sac fly, allowing Abby Gilbertson to cross the plate. Ripon (3-19, 1-3 MWC) added two more runs in the fourth on an RBI triple from Mihaljevich, before she scored one batter later on a groundout by Hassemer.

Ripon scored their four runs on just five hits, with Mihaljevich leading the way by going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored. Gilbertson scored a team-high two runs in the game. Savanna Trittelwitz earned the complete game victory, allowing two runs and striking out two without walking a batter.

Game two saw Cornell again score in the bottom of the first. They would add two more in the fourth and another in the sixth to cap the scoring. The Rams out-hit the Red Hawks 8-3 in the contest. Ripon's hits came off the bats of Brennah Bronk, Mikaela Lawrence, and Claire Luebke.

Ripon will be in action again on Friday in their 2022 home opener when they'll host Knox College at Tracy Field in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Those games can be seen live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.