CLERMONT, Florida – The Ripon softball program played a pair of tough Northeast opponents on Thursday at Legends Way Field, falling 3-2 to Smith in eight innings and 8-6 to Salem State.
In a low-scoring pitcher's duel against Smith (3-4), Ripon (1-9) fell behind 1-0 early as the Pioneers grabbed the first run of the game on a third-inning error. The Red Hawks responded in the fifth, however, following a sacrifice bunt by
Hadley Berendsen.
The score remained 1-1 until the seventh inning, when Smith pulled in front on a two-out RBI single. Down to its last out, Ripon never flinched – with runners on the corners,
Karissa Jenz singled home
Nadiyah Huizar and the score was even once again.
The opposition took the lead for good in the eighth on a one-out, RBI single. Ripon had a chance to answer with the automatic runner placed on second, but two runners were stranded in scoring position to end the game.
Maddie Heisler led Ripon offensively, going 2-for-3 with a walk.
Ashlyn Schultz, Jenz,
Emily Kasuboski, Berendsen and Huizar each recorded a hit apiece as well. In the circle,
Ashlynn Donahue pitched a complete game and was straddled with the tough-luck loss. She allowed 10 hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out six.
Salem State (5-4) took the quick lead in game two, scoring the first three runs of the game. Ripon countered in the fourth, as Jenz stole home to score Ripon's first run of the afternoon.
The Vikings extended their lead in the fourth, scoring three more times to go ahead 6-1. Ripon cut into the deficit in the fifth, as Jenz singled home
Jayden Markus and Heisler produced a run on a sacrifice fly.
Salem State scored twice more in the fifth, and though Kasuboski,
Maddie Hablewitz and
Sydney Swanson all singled home runs in the seventh, the Red Hawks were unable to even the score.
Jenz (2x3, RBI, 2 run, walk), Heisler (2x3, RBI),
Kayla Cruz (2x4, run) and Swanson (2x3, RBI) all recorded multi-hit games for Ripon. On the mound,
Alayna Sadowska started and took the loss. She went three innings, allowing five hits and six earned runs.
NEXT UP: Ripon finishes its week with games against Plymouth State (11:15 a.m. CT) and Keene State (1:30 p.m. CT) on Friday, March 21.
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