RIPON, Wisconsin – The Ripon softball program won a marathon 3-2, 11-inning affair against Knox in game one on Saturday before run-ruling the Prairie Fire 9-1 in six innings to sweep Saturday afternoon's doubleheader at Tracy Field.
With Ripon (11-23, 5-9 MWC) trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the 11th in the opening game,
Hannah Vargas laced a two-run walkoff double, sending the crowd into a frenzy and giving the Red Hawks their fourth Midwest Conference win of the season.
The opener was the definition of a pitcher's duel from the onset –
Sydney Swanson's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second put the hosts on the board, but Knox (2-31, 0-16 MWC) responded with a two-out, RBI single in the top of the third to even the score. From there, the teams were limited to two hits or less in each half inning until Knox had three hits in the top of the ninth. However, with the bases loaded and two outs in the inning, Ripon starter
Kalen Berger induced a lineout to preserve the tie game.
Ripon had a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth after a leadoff double by
Kayla Cruz, her 15th of the season. However, a lineout double play quelled the rally there. Moments later, Ripon had runners at second and third with two outs, though a groundout sent the game to the 10th.
The Prairie Fire took the lead in the 11th on a two-out RBI single, but Ripon would not let the lead last long. In the bottom half,
Savannah Barajas and
Anna Bauer had back-to-back singles with one out. That set the stage for Vargas to be the hero, doubling to left and giving Ripon the come-from-behind win.
Bauer had a four-hit game – the first of her career – going 4-for-6 with a run scored. Vargas went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI and a walk, while Cruz (2-for-6), Barajas (2-for-6, run) and
Abrianna Anderson (2-for-5) each had multi-hit games.
In the circle, Berger picked up her fifth win of the season, tossing all 11 innings. She gave up 14 hits and two earned runs, striking out four.
Ripon kept its offensive surge in game two, putting up three runs in the first two innings. A Bauer sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first put Ripon in front, and a bases-loaded walk by
Samantha Nicholson two batters later doubled the lead. In the bottom of the second,
Daniella Orozco reached first on an error with two outs, bringing home Cruz, as Ripon was comfortably in front 3-0.
Knox put pressure on Ripon in the fourth, scoring its only run of the game on an RBI single, but
Kenzie Pahang stranded two Prairie Fire in scoring position to finish the inning.
The Red Hawks sent fans home happy and early with a five-run sixth inning. After
MariaFernanda Lerma singled and stole second base, Bauer singled and advanced to second on the throw to put runners at second and third with nobody out. After a groundout and a walk, Anderson singled home two with the bases loaded as Ripon kept the momentum going.
Maddie Hablewitz continued the scoring spree with an RBI double before Cruz's 16th double of the season – the new single-season program record – brought home two more, giving the Red Hawks the 9-1 win in six innings.
Cruz went 3-for-4 with two RBI, a run scored and a walk, while Lerma also had a multi-hit outing (2-for-4, run). Orozco (1-for-4, run), Bauer (1-for-1, RBI, 2 run, walk), Anderson (1-for-3, 3 RBI, run, walk) and Hablewitz (1-for-4, RBI, run) all had productive days at the plate as well.
Pahang notched the sixth win of her freshman campaign in the circle, tossing a complete game while giving up six hits and just one earned run. She also punched out two.
NEXT UP: Ripon closes its 2024 season on Sunday, May 5 with a Senior Day doubleheader against Lake Forest. First pitch from Tracy Field is set for 1 p.m.
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