RIPON, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – On a spring-infused afternoon, the Marian University softball team played to a doubleheader split on the road, winning 4-3 in game one before falling to host Ripon College, 2-1, in the nightcap of a non-conference affair at Tracy Field, this afternoon, April 18.

The Sabres jumped out to a 4-0 lead in game one and held on for the one run victory, while the Red Hawks responded in game two and broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out rally that salvaged a split.

Sophomore Brie Hechimovich led the way for the Sabres with three hits on the day, including two in the game one win for the Sabres. Four Red Hawks tallied three hits apiece with Peterson, Hester and Cartwright tallying two hits each in game two. Ripon outhit Marian in both games, 8-6 and 9-6, respectively.

In game one, the Sabres struck first with a run in the first, a run in the second and two in the third to take a commanding 4-0 lead and never looked back.

Hechimovich walked to lead off the game and eventually scored on a wild pitch to get the Sabres on the board. Another leadoff walk plagued the Red Hawks when Amanda Cain reached and scored in the second inning on an RBI single to centerfield by Hechimovich.

Marian made it 4-0 after getting its first two runners on base safely following another leadoff walk to Amber Johnson and a hit-by-pitch to Sara Terrian. An Emily Gorges double to right scored Johnson before a Nikki Ponticelli sacrifice fly allowed Terrian to plate the game's fourth run.

Ripon had an answer in the fourth, scoring three times after loading the bases. It was the second bases loaded opportunity for the hosts, who failed to plate a single run in the first. It happened once more in the sixth and the rally was squashed by a comebacker to Gorges, who fielded her pitching position and made the play for the final out. She retired the side in the seventh to register the complete-game victory.

Game two turned into a pitcher's duel as Marian's Heather Dorn went up against Ripon's Gnacinski. The Red Hawks got to Dorn first with a run in the third as Hester singled home Bloomer, who drew a two-out walk to make the run possible.

Marian couldn't scratch a run across until the sixth inning with Charlotte Pegram singled to right field to leadoff the frame and eventually came around to score via a fielding error that kept the inning alive.

With the score tied in the bottom of the seventh, Dorn got the first two batters to ground out, leaving it up to Hester to keep the threat alive. She did with a single to center. Gnacinski then helped her own cause by drawing a walk, putting two runners on with two outs.

Cartwright would then emerge the hero as her RBI single to right field scored Hester and won it for the Red Hawks, who earned the non-conference split at home.

Gorges improved to 5-12 on the season with the game one victory, while Dorn dropped to 6-6 with the hard-luck loss in game two.

The Sabres will be back in action tomorrow, April 19, as they take on Wisconsin Lutheran College. First pitch is scheduled for noon with ideal conditions expected in Milwaukee.