RIPON, Wisconsin – The Ripon softball program defeated Cornell 5-0 on Sunday afternoon at Tracy Field before game two was suspended due to weather. The teams were tied 4-4 heading into the top of the sixth inning.

With the win -- and an Illinois College sweep over Lake Forest -- the Red Hawks now hold sole possession of first place in the Midwest Conference standings with nine games remaining.
 
After a scoreless first inning in game one, Ripon (8-15, 6-1 MWC) grabbed the early lead in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded and one out, Karissa Jenz drew a walk to bring home the game's first run. The Red Hawks then added two more runs in the bottom of the third on a two-out, two-run double by Nadiyah Huizar.
 
Alayna Sadowska was in complete control of Cornell (10-16, 2-5 MWC) on the mound, working her way out of a jam in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half of the inning, Maddie Hablewitz scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Maddie Heisler as Ripon padded its advantage to 4-0.
 
The final run of the day came home in the sixth, as an RBI groundout by Hadley Berendsen scored Sydney Swanson. Sadowska successfully managed a leadoff double in the top of the seventh, retiring the final three batters of the game to secure Ripon's fourth consecutive win.
 
Heisler (2x4, RBI) and Huizar (2x3, 2 RBI) each had multi-hit games for Ripon, while Ashlyn Schultz, Sadowska and Hablewitz also had base knocks. Ripon had a slim 7-6 hits edge and took advantage of four Cornell errors.
 
Sadowska picked up her third win of the weekend in the circle, pitching a complete game. She allowed just six hits and one walk while punching out four.
 
Game two didn't break Ripon's way at first, as the Rams jumped on the board early with a run in the first and three more in the third. However, the Red Hawks got one back in the bottom of the third as Berendsen stole home.
 
Berendsen did the heavy lifting for Ripon in the fourth to tie the game. Her bases-clearing double with two outs knotted the score at four, though she was thrown out at third to end the frame.
 
After a scoreless fifth, weather prompted the suspension of the game. The resumption and completion of the game is TBD.
 
NEXT UP: Ripon hosts Lakeland on Tuesday, April 15 for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
 
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