LEESBURG, Florida – Emily Kasuboski of the Ripon softball program delivered an eighth-inning, walk-off single to lift the Red Hawks past Plymouth State 2-1 in the opening game of two on Friday.
 
In game two, the Red Hawks fell 8-2 to Keene State.
 
Ripon (2-10) got on the board first in game one against Plymouth State (7-5). After Karissa Jenz singled with one out in the third and moved to second on a groundout, Kayla Cruz drove home the freshman to put the Red Hawks in front.
 
The Panthers threatened in the fifth, putting a runner at third with one out. However, Ripon snuffed out an attempt to steal home, preserving the lead and the shutout. Plymouth State did tie the game in the sixth on a two-out single, but Ripon starter Brooklyn Cooper stranded two in scoring position to keep the game tied.
 
Cooper worked out of trouble in the top of the eighth as Ripon went into extras for the second consecutive day. With two in scoring position and one out in the eighth, Kasuboski delivered the game-winning hit as Ripon snapped a seven-game losing streak.
 
Kasuboski led Ripon offensively, going 3-for-4 with the game-winning RBI. Cruz was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Maddie Hablewitz also had two hits.
 
In the circle, Cooper was a star. She pitched all eight innings for her first career complete game, allowing eight hits but no earned runs in picking up the win. She also struck out two and only walked one.
 
In game two against Keene State (6-4), Ripon fell behind 4-0 early as the Owls put up all four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ripon countered in the second, however. Hablewitz doubled home Cruz before scoring herself on a KSC error as the Red Hawks cut their deficit in half.
 
The Owls got one run back in the bottom of the second to lead 5-2. Keene added another in the fifth and one more in the sixth to round out the scoring as Ripon was unable to scratch across any runs beyond the second inning.
 
Cruz had a standout game at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored. She accounted for three of Ripon's eight hits, while Arianna Alirez had a multi-hit game (2x4) and Ashlyn Schultz, Maddie Heisler and Hablewitz also accounted for base hits.
 
In the circle, Ashlynn Donahue got the start and took the loss. She pitched one-plus innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs. Alayna Sadowska threw five innings in relief, giving up just three hits and no earned runs.
 
NEXT UP: Ripon hosts Concordia University Wisconsin for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26.
 
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