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ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - Ripon managed to salvage their trip to the Augustana (IL) Invitational on Sunday, winning one of two games on the day. The Red Hawks defeated Millikin 10-2 in their first game, but lost to Augustana 8-0 in the second game of the day.
The Red Hawk bats came alive for the first time in the Invitational against Millikin, as Ripon managed six extra-base hits, including three home runs. They wasted no time in the first inning, scoring the first run of the game in the bottom of the first on a lead-off home run by Natalie Geenen, her second long-ball of the season.
Millikin battled back to tie in the top of the fourth on a one-out RBI single to center field. The Big Blue then took their first lead of the game in the following inning, scoring an unearned run on an error with two outs. Ripon's bats really started to get some life in the bottom of the fifth, which was led off by Abby Richeson's first collegiate home run. After a Geenen double to left, Krista Shafer gave Ripon the lead for good with a one-out RBI single. Jackie Reichhart gave the Red Hawks some breathing room later in the inning, driving in two runs on a single of her own to put Ripon up 5-2.
The Big Blue loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth in an attempt to make a comeback. They couldn't get a runner home however, as Andrea Knorr struck out the final two batters in the inning. Ripon then added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to an RBI double by Geenen and a two-RBI single by Shafer. Jackie Reichhart would then put an exclamation point on the win with a two-run homer.
Geenen was about as perfect as a player could get, going 3-for-3, including two doubles and a home run, with three runs scored, two RBI, and a walk. Shafer, Reichhart, and Richeson all added two hits apiece. Knorr (3-5) picked up the win, allowing seven hits and one earned run in six innings of action, while striking out seven and walking one.
The second game of the day was the complete opposite of the first, with Ripon managing just one hit against a tough Augustana squad in an 8-0 Augie victory. Ripon's lone hit came off the bat of Reichhart in the second inning.
The Vikings scored at least one run in every inning, including one in the bottom of the first on a home run to left field. They added another run in the second on an RBI double, before scoring four times in the third inning. They also added one run in both the fourth and fifth inning, scoring on an RBI single and wild pitch, respectively.
Ripon will now have about a week off, before getting back in the swing of things with their Midwest Conference opener against St. Norbert on April 8. That doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. at Tracy Field in Ripon.
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