Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team split Monday's action in Florida, defeating Mount Ida by a score of 10-1 over five innings in game one.  The Engineers fell to Ripon, 5-2 in the nightcap.  RPI is now 2-2 on the season.

The victory saw the Engineers pour on the offense starting in the second inning after a walk and a stolen base by sophomore Tori Hunt set up an RBI double off the bat of junior Aimee Konet.  Sophomore Dani Grage then doubled in Konet and later scored as rookie Jocilyn Rudisill reached on an error.

Rensselaer added another run in the top of the third before pushing six more runs across over the next two innings to seal the mercy rule victory.  Leading the effort was a three-run double by Gillian McCarthy in the top of the fourth.

McCarthy led the offensive charge, going 2 for 3 at the plate with a run scored and three RBI.  Senior captain Kelly Erkert was 2 for 3 with two runs scored, while three others registered a hit.  In the circle, rookie Kristina Weltzin posted her first career victory, allowing just one run on four hits over 5.0 innings.  She also struck out six batters.

For Mount Ida, Devin Meeker suffered the loss, allowing 10 runs (6 earned) on seven hits over 5.0 innings.  She also struck out one and walked five.

Game two against Ripon saw the visiting Red Hawks strike first with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Maeghan Boswell led off the frame with a walk and would score two batters later when Cassie Bilotto belted an RBI double to rightfield. After a Mallary Nissen single, Jordan Hester drove in Bilotto from third for Ripon's third consecutive hit.

RPI had an answer for that, as they matched the Red Hawks with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third. Both runs came on one play, as Kelly Erkert and Jen Shields both crossed the plate on a single by Gillian McCarthy.

The Red Hawks would grab another lead in the fourth, as Karisa Simonsen scored on a bases loaded wild pitch. Two batters later, Hester drove in another run on a bases loaded walk. Ripon added a third run in the inning when Ashley Gnacinski drew another bases loaded walk, allowing Bilotto to score.

Beth Ebben was the only Ripon player to record more than one hit, as she recorded two of the team's six base knocks. Stephanie Rieuwpassa earned the win, as she didn't allow an earned run and scattered seven hits, while striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.

Erkert, McCarthy and Shields led RPI with two hits apiece. Charlene Osmanski suffered the loss, giving up two earned runs on six hits, while walking four and striking out four in 3.2 innings.