Rhinelander, WI-- The Northland College Softball team continued it's start of the 2021 season today with a non-conference rematch from last weekend vs. Ripon College in Rhinelander, WI. The Jills would come away victorious in game one, winning 5-2 but would drop a hard fought game two, 3-2 for the split.

In game one, Sofia Garcia would get the start on the mound for the Jills. The Jills would open up the scoring 2-0  as Remi Orr and Markia Smith would come around to score off of a single from Patience Swafford. Ripon would respond with a run of their own but Kaylee Harnack would smack a double, scoring Kayla Preisler to increase the LumberJill lead. The Jills would tack on two more insurance runs in the 5th inning as Garcia and Izzy Peters would come around to score. The Jills would close the door in the 7th inning and go on to take game one 5-2. Garcia would lead all LumberJill hitters at the plate going 2-3. 

Game two would turn out to be a defensive battle and this time Ripon would come out with the early 2-0 lead, scoring in the 1st inning. Izzy Peters would hammer a single, scoring Garcia to make it 2-1 for Ripon. Natalie Erler would also come around to score in the 4th inning to make it a 2-2 ball game but Ripon would score a run in the bottom of the 5th inning and never look back to take game two 3-2.

Remi Orr would get the start on the hill for the Jills in game two. 

The Jills will continue non-conference play this Tuesday (March 9) vs. Hamline University at the Dundas Dome in Northfield, MN for a double header. Game one is set to start at 11am. 

Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.