THE FACTS
Ripon (1-7) 5, McDaniel (2-4) 1
McDaniel (3-4) 7, Utica (0-1) 5
What: Non-conference softball doubleheader
When: Sunday, Mar. 14
Where: Clermont, Fla. – Hancock Park

THE SKINNY
After dropping a 5-1 opening game to Ripon, McDaniel rallied with a pitching gem and got a walkoff win over Utica, 7-5.

THE LEADERS
• Mel Grant (Middletown, Del./Padua Academy) went the distance in the circle in game two, striking out four and walking none for the Green Terror.
• Mattie Whalen (Magnolia, N.J./Sterling) led the offense with three hits, including the walk-off two-run home run.

FOR THE FOES
• Maddie Hablewiz led the Red Hawks in the first game with two hits and four RBIs.
• Abigail Sacks led the Pioneers with two hits, three RBIs, and a run scored.

THE REST OF THE STORY
• In game one, Makayla Calamita (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood Area) led off the top of the second inning with a home run to left field.
• With one out in the bottom of the third, Brennah Bronk drew a walk. After an Abby Gilbertson infield single, a fielding error loaded the bases. A Maddie Hablewitz two-run single up the middle made it a 2-1 game before an error and sacrifice fly stretched the advantage to 3-1.
• A dropped pop-up in the bottom of the sixth opened the door for two more runs. A Micaela Encarnacion infield single and two-out hit by pitch and Hablewitz knock scored two for the final score.
• In the second game, Bailey McElwain and Kaitlyn Paul each singled before a two-out Abigail Sacks home run staked Utica to a 3-0 lead.
• Mattie Whalen walked to lead off the third before Isabella Sylvester (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) went deep on a 1-2 pitch to cut the deficit to 3-2.
• Paytyn Hazelton (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Seminole Ridge) poked a single to lead off the fourth before stealing second and scoring on a two-out Whalen single to tie the game.
• Lauren Paul singled with one out in the fifth before Kaitlyn Paul homered to left-center for a 5-3 lead.
• Megan Horsey (Chesapeake City, Md./Bohemia Manor) drew a walk in the bottom of the inning before an error put runners at first and second. A hit batter loaded the bases before Taylor Routzahn (Frederick, Md./Frederick) was hit by a pitch with two outs to force in Horsey and make it 5-4.
• Calamita drove a single to left to lead off the home seventh. Pinch-runner Olivia Dresser (Valrico, Fla./Newsome) stole both second and third before scoring on a Routzahn sacrifice fly. Mandy Butz (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) drove a single through the right side to extend the game before Whalen blasted a 2-1 pitch over the right-field fence for the walk-off winner.

THE INSIDE STORY
• Makayla Calamita and Isabella Sylvester's home runs were both the firsts of their collegiate careers.
• Mandy Butz's hit to extend the game for Mattie Whalen's game-winning home run was the first of her career.

NEXT UP
McDaniel returns to action against Wheaton (Mass.) and Ripon on Monday. The first game begins at 10 a.m.