Ripon, WI- Tuesday saw the Mount Mary softball team head to Ripon College. The Blue Angels and the Red Hawks met in two contests on Ripon's campus. Mount Mary erased a seven run deficit in game one, but they fell one run short in a wild 12-11 loss. In game two, the roles were reversed. Mt Mary shot out to a lead, followed by a Ripon comeback and 10-9 Red Hawk victory.
In game one, the Red hawks struck early with seven runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. The Blue Angels would answer with three runs in the top of the 3rd, Aariana Kraut, Mary DeFore, Katelyn McCallum and Alexandria Eads came through with hits in the inning.
The next runs of game one came in the top of the 5th. A run scoring single by Aariana Kraut brought the Blue Angels within three runs at 7-4. Mary DeFore drew a bases loaded walk and MMU trailed by only a two run margin at 7-5. The line would continue to move as Micaela Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch, Katelyn McCallum then struck one of the game's big blows with a clutch two out double. The Blue Angels had scored 9 unanswered runs and led Ripon 9-7 heading into the bottom of the 5th.
Brianna Lupa replaced Kraut in the pitching circle in the bottom of the 5th. The Red Hawks offense answered back in the inning, with three runs to claim a 10-9 lead as the game headed to inning number six.
Micaela Gonzalez evened the contest at 10 with a double in the top of the 6th. Gonzalez would score on a Brianna Lupa single and MMU once again reclaimed the lead at 11-10. The back and forth nature of the day continued as Ripon plated two in their half of the 6th and took the lead back at 12-11.
Mount Mary would bring the equalizing run to 2nd base in the 7th but would be unable to tie the game for a third time.
Offensively in game one, DeFore, Kraut and Gonzalez each had three hits.
Game two saw Mount Mary jump out to the lead. A Brianna Ecker two run double in the top of the first put MMU ahead 2-0. Mary DeFore continued her red hot day at the plate with a 2-run double in the second and Mount Mary was out to a 4-0 lead. The line continued to move in the second inning as McCallum doubled in DeFore. A run scoring single by Sam Allen extended the Blue Angel lead to 6-0.
The Blue Angels would not slow down in the inning, Micaela Gonzalez singled up the middle to extend the lead to 7-0.
Ripon scored a single run in the 2nd and the Blue Angels took an 8-1 lead into the 3rd.
Sam Allen continued to swing a hot bat as she tallied a run scoring double in inning number 5. MMU took a 9-2 lead into the bottom of the 5th.
Remarkably, Ripon turned the tide in the bottom of the 6th. The Red Hawks came all the way back to lead 10-9 heading into the 7th inning.
Mount Mary was unable to score in the 7th and fell in game two by a 10-9 final score.
DeFore, McCallum, Lupa, Ecker and Allen each had two hits or more in game 2. Mount Mary had 15 hits as a team.
The Blue Angels (9-22) will be back on the field on Wednesday, April 24th. MMU will head to Lisle, Illinois to take on Benedictine University. The doubleheader games are scheduled for 3 and 5 pm. Stay tuned to www.mtmaryathletics.com for all coverage of Mount Mary softball.
