Game One Box
Game Two Box

RIPON – The UW-Stevens Point softball team made their 2009 Wisconsin debut on Thursday afternoon, battling to a split with the Red Hawks of Ripon College. The Pointers took game one 2-0 behind six solid innings from pitcher Kayla Kastenmeier (Ashwaubenon) before dropping game two, 5-3.

A pitchers dual for the first three innings, the Pointers broke the game open in the top of the fourth when Melissa Wenig's (Oshkosh, West) RBI single scored Sarah Butts (Greenfield) to give the Pointers the 1-0 advantage. Lauren Watkins (Baraboo) scored off an error by the third baseman to add the second Pointers' run in the top of the fifth for a 2-0 lead.

That was all the run support Kastenmeier needed, going 6.1 innings and striking out six. Elyse Nelson (Batavia, Ill., Batavia) picked up the save, her second of the season, coming in with one out in the seventh to secure the victory.

In game two, the Pointers jumped ahead 2-0 after the second, but two runs in both the second and third innings by Ripon gave the Red Hawks a 4-2 advantage after three innings.

Watkins hit a solo shot in the fifth, but it was not enough as Ripon's Andrea Knorr came in and shut the door on the Pointer offense, striking out three and collecting the save.

Nelson took the loss in game two, giving up four runs in 2.2 innings of work, striking out three. Allie Dorn (Greenville, Fox Valley Lutheran) came on in relief, going 3.1 innings and allowing just one run.