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CLEREMONT, Fla. - Last season, the Ripon softball team won seven consecutive games to begin their spring trip in Florida. This season they looked like they were headed on a similar streak, winning their first three, before their first loss of the year. After opening the season with two wins on Sunday, the Red Hawks won their first game on Monday, a 12-0 beat down of Daniel Webster College, but weren't as lucky in the second game of the day, losing
2-0 to The College of New Jersey.
Monday's two games were complete opposites. The Red Hawks began the day against Daniel Webster College, hammering everything they saw at the plate, while shutting down the Eagles on the defensive end. Ripon put on an offensive display early and often, scoring five runs in the first two innings, while cranking out 15 hits in the game, en route to the 12-0 victory.
Natalie Geenen started the first rally of the day with a first inning single, which was followed by a walk to Ashley Kirst. Both runners would score two batters later on a miscue in the field by Daniel Webster's second baseman. The Red Hawks did more damage in the second inning, scoring three additional runs. Geenen was a key to that scoring rally as well, driving in the first run of the inning on a triple to left field. She would later score on a passed ball. Ashley Kirst would score the third and final run of the inning on another Daniel Webster error.
After one inning of scoreless ball, Ripon doubled their lead in the fourth inning, adding five more runs. After the first two batters were retired, Kirst started things off with another walk. After Krista Shafer reached base on another error, Jackie Reichhart drove home both runners with a single. Each of the next four Red Hawk batters singled, with Andrea Knorr picking up an RBI, while freshman Kylie Ainslie drove in two runs. Ripon added two more runs the following inning to put the game even further out of reach.
Ripon was led by Geenen's 3-for-4 performance, which included one RBI and three runs scored. Reichhart also added three hits, including a triple, to go along with two RBI and two runs scored. Knorr and Jessica Goudreau each finished with two hits. Knorr also picked up her second win in as many days, combining for the shutout with Stephanie Sumner. Each pitcher allowed just one hit apiece.
The Red Hawks weren't as lucky in the second game of the day, as they couldn't generate much offense all game, losing 2-0 to The College of New Jersey. Ripon managed just three hits, while committing four errors in the field. The College of New Jersey scored once in the second, and again in the fourth for the only two runs of the game.
Ripon's only hits against TCNJ came from Shafer, Reichhart, and Megan Sockness. Knorr took the loss in the second game, pitching all seven innings and giving up just one earned run. She struck out five batters, while walking none.
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