PLYMOUTH, Wis. - The Rockford University softball team split a pair of close games on the road Sunday afternoon against the Lakeland University Muskies. Rockford dropped the opener 5-4, before winning a wild second game 9-7 in eight innings. Senior
Candace Kipp had an amazing two games at the plate for the Regents. Kipp finished 4-for-6 with 2 home runs, 4 RBIs, 4 runs scored, 3 walks and a double.
Lakeland 5 Rockford 4
- Lakeland jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the end of the first inning. The Muskies needed just two hits, including a double to begin the frame, to grab the early lead.
- The score remained unchanged until the Regents plated a trio of runs in the third. Candace Kipp got the scoring started with a two-out RBI double down the left field line to tie the game at 1-1. After a walk loaded the bases, Emily Down laced a two-run single back up the middle to give the Regents their first lead of the day at 3-1.
- Neither team was able to score in the fourth, but Lakeland retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth. The Muskies strung together five hits in the inning and scored all four of their runs with two outs to grab a 5-3 advantage.
- Candace Kipp would cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the seventh to make it a one-run game. Unfortunately, the Regents were unable to tie the game and dropped the opener by a final score of 5-4.
Rockford 9 Lakeland 7
- Game two was a much higher-scoring affair, as at least one team scored in every inning except the sixth.
- Rockford had a trio of extra base hits in the top of the first and took a quick 3-0 lead. Bella Lima led off the game with a triple to right center. A couple of batters later, Candace Kipp smacked her second home run of the day to give Rockford a 2-0 lead. Following a groundout and a walk, Emily Down drove in her first run of the game with an RBI double to left center.
- However, the Muskies answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Things could have been worse, but the Regents turned an outstanding double play to end the inning. With one out and a runner on third, Rylee Klema fielded a ground ball, threw it to first to retire the hitter, and then Emily Down fired the ball home to Candace Kipp who tagged out the runner from third trying to score, ending the threat, and keeping it a 3-2 RU lead.
- The Regents would get both of those runs back in the top of the second. Rockford had just two hits in the inning but capitalized on a pair of Muskie miscues and a walk to score the two runs. Jocelyn Callahan drove in the first run of the inning on an RBI single with the bases loaded and two outs. The Regents tacked on another run on the same play thanks to a Lakeland error to make it a 5-2 game.
- Unfortunately, Lakeland scored two more runs in the bottom of the second. Hannah Nelson did all the damage with a two-run home run over the left field wall, to make it a 5-4 Rockford lead.
- The Muskies continued their scoring spree with a single run in the bottom of the third. Lakeland needed just two hits to score its run and tie the game at 5-5.
- Fortunately, Rockford would retake the lead with a run of its own in the very next inning. The Regents had three hits in the frame, but scored their only run on a Jocelyn Callahan sacrifice fly to make it a 6-5 RU advantage.
- The lead did not last long though, with Lakeland once again tying the game in the bottom of the fifth.
- The back and forth nature of the game continued with both teams scoring a run in the seventh inning. Rockford loaded the bases with no one out, but could only score a single run on an Enedy Perez sacrifice fly. The Muskies answered back with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and send it into extras.
- Fortunately, the Regents scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to take the lead for fourth different time in the game. Michaela Froehlich got things started with a leadoff double and then scored one batter later thanks to a Muskie error. Following a single and a walk, Jocelyn Callahan drove in a run via an RBI single to right, to make it a 9-7 RU lead.
- Lakeland was able to put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the eighth, but starting pitcher Rylee Klema re-entered the game to pitch, and recorded the final out to earn a save and secure the 9-7 victory.
Game 1
- Candace Kipp finished 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Emily Down went 2-for-3 with a walk and 2 RBIs.
- Jennifer Ruesch was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored.
Game 2
- Candace Kipp was 2-for-2 with 3 walks, a home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Bella Lima finished just a home run away from the cycle. She went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and 2 runs scored.
- Jocelyn Callahan was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs.
- Kariana Williams finished 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored. She also earned her first win of the season. Williams tossed 3 innings, allowed 0 earned runs and struck out 1 batter.
- Rylee Klema pitched 5 total innings, including recording the final out of the game, to earn her third save of the season.
