Titans Rally To Split Doubleheader With Red Hawks

UW-Oshkosh battled back to take the second game of its home opener with Ripon College on Friday (April 6) at YP.com Softball Park.

Stephanie Rieuwpassa gave up just one infield single during the Red Hawks' 3-0 opener victory. The Titans (13-9) got a two-run homer from Hillary Trebiatowski (Jr. • Plover) as they clinched the nightcap, 7-4.

Ripon College (7-9) crossed the plate during the first, third and seventh innings of game one. Cassie Bilotto marked a run-scoring single during the opening frame for the go-ahead score. Rieuwpassa then did some damage in the batter's box, smashing a RBI double and a solo home run.

Rieuwpassa walked four and struck out four during her one-hitter. The only blemish was an infield single by Trebiatowski during the fourth inning. UW-Oshkosh put two runners on base during both the second and fifth, but couldn't take advantage.

Courtney Wautier (Jr. • Brussels) accepted the loss after yielding two earned runs on 10 hits over seven innings. Three of those hits came from the bat of Rieuwpassa.

The offenses came alive in game two, with a combined seven runs in the first frame. Rieuwpassa got things started with a RBI single, while the Red Hawks made it 3-0 on a throwing error. UW-Oshkosh's four-run response featured the two-run blast by Trebiatowski and a run-scoring single from Demi Kastein (So. • Waupun).

Three scoreless innings went by before Ripon tied the contest in the fifth. Ashley Gnacinski touched home on a wild pitch to earn the 4-4 deadlock.

Emily Miskoski (Fr. • Stevens Point) followed the same strategy, scoring on a fifth-inning wild pitch to put the Titans back on top. A Ripon fielding miscue and a single by Tess Fadness (So. • Eau Claire) brought home the final two runs.

After Julie Sweeney (Fr. • Arlington Heights, Ill.) tossed four innings of four-run ball, Kimberly Lohre (Fr. • Glenview, Ill.) got the victory with 2.2 scoreless frames. Wautier obtained the final out to record a save.

The loss fell on Gnacinski, who allowed four runs in the first four innings. Mallary Nissen pitched the final two innings and surrendered one earned run.

UW-Oshkosh concludes its nonconference slate against the University of Chicago (Ill.) on Saturday (April 7) at YP.com Softball Park.