RHINELANDER, Wis. -- The Ripon College softball team opened its season with a split Wednesday at the Hodag Dome, earning a 4-0 win over Lakeland University before dropping a tough 5-4 extra-inning decision to Edgewood University.
Game One
Ripon used timely hitting and dominant pitching to secure its first win in the season opener.
After a scoreless first inning, the Red Hawks broke through in the second. Freshman Carli Moldenhauer (Oconomowoc, Wis., Oconomowoc HS) singled and freshman Nora Lowney (Racine, Wis., Case HS) followed with a double to put two in scoring position. Junior Nadiyah Huizar (Buena Park, Calif., Buena Park HS) delivered with an RBI single to plate the game's first run.
The Red Hawks added insurance in the sixth inning. Senior Kayla Cruz (Anaheim, Calif., Anaheim HS) singled and later scored on a double by Moldenhauer. Lowney followed with an RBI double of her own, and Huizar capped the three-run frame with another RBI single to push the lead to 4-0.
Freshman Peyton Vandeloo (Kaukauna, Wis., Freedom HS) was outstanding in the circle, tossing a complete-game two-hit shutout. She struck out nine and allowed just one walk over seven innings to earn the win.
Ripon finished with nine hits in the contest, including multi-hit performances from Cruz, Moldenhauer, Lowney, and Huizar.
Game Two
In the second matchup, Ripon battled back but came up just short in extra innings.
The Red Hawks struck first in the opening frame when sophomore Ashlyn Schultz (Denmark, Wis., Denmark HS) doubled home freshman Callissa Keller (La Valle, Wis., Wonewoc-Center HS) to take a 1-0 lead. Edgewood answered with three runs in the second and added another on a solo home run in the fourth to make it 4-2.
Ripon chipped away, pulling within one in the third on an RBI single from sophomore Alayna Sadowska (Oshkosh, Wis., Oshkosh West HS). The Red Hawks then tied the game in the seventh. Sophomore Maddie Heisler (Appleton, Wis., Appleton East HS) and Keller each singled to spark the rally, and Schultz lifted a sacrifice fly to score Heisler. Freshman Cyriana Reinwald (Horicon, Wis., Horicon HS) followed with an RBI double to even the score at 4-4 and force extra innings.
Edgewood capitalized in the bottom of the eighth, scoring the winning run on a close call to secure the 5-4 decision.
Ripon totaled 10 hits in the game, with Heisler and Keller each collecting two. Schultz drove in two runs, while Reinwald and Sadowska also added RBIs.
Ripon returns to action Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7 in Carlinville, Ill. The Red Hawks will face Blackburn College and Greenville University in doubleheaders both days, with first pitches scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.
