GALESBURG, Ill. -- Ripon softball celebrated its Midwest Conference Tournament berth with a dominant Saturday sweep at Knox College, defeating the Prairie Fire 8-2 and 7-1.
The Red Hawks, who learned the night prior that they had officially clinched a spot in the conference tournament, improved to 24-10 overall with the pair of victories. Ripon now heads into Sunday's regular-season finale at Cornell College with momentum, as first pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Ripon controlled the opener behind a complete-game effort from freshman Peyton Vandeloo (Kaukauna, Wis., Freedom HS) and a balanced offensive attack. Vandeloo struck out 12 batters while allowing just three hits and two runs across seven innings to earn her 13th win of the season.
The Red Hawks scored twice in the second inning, highlighted by an RBI double from freshman Desirae Kallstrom (DeForest, Wis., DeForest HS) and an RBI groundout from sophomore Maddie Heisler (Appleton, Wis., Appleton East HS). Freshman Nora Lowney (Racine, Wis., Case HS) added a solo home run in the fourth, then Ripon answered Knox's only rally with another run in the fifth on an RBI single by freshman Sarah Marcheske (Waukesha, Wis., Kettle Moraine HS).
Ripon broke the game open with a four-run seventh inning. Senior Kayla Cruz (Anaheim, Calif., Anaheim HS) delivered an RBI single before Lowney drove in two more with a double. Kallstrom finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, Cruz went 3-for-4, and Lowney totaled three RBIs.
In game two, sophomore Alayna Sadowska (Oshkosh, Wis., Oshkosh West HS) tossed a complete game of her own, limiting Knox to one run on three hits over seven innings while earning her 10th victory of the year.
Ripon scored twice in the second inning and never looked back. Senior Hadley Berendsen (Kimberly, Wis., Kimberly HS) brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly, while junior Nadiyah Huizar (Buena Park, Calif., Buena Park HS) followed with an RBI single. Cruz added a sacrifice fly in the third before freshman Cyriana Reinwald (Horicon, Wis., Horicon HS) launched a solo home run in the fourth.
The Red Hawks added insurance late when Cruz hit a solo homer in the seventh, and Berendsen added another RBI on a groundout.
Ripon totaled 11 hits in the nightcap, led by freshman Callissa Keller's (La Valle, Wis., Wonewoc-Center HS) 3-for-4 performance. Huizar also went 3-for-3, while Cruz collected two hits and two RBIs. Marcheske added two hits and scored once.
With two more conference wins secured, Ripon closes the Midwest Conference regular season Sunday at Cornell before turning its focus to postseason play.
