CLERMONT, Fla. - The Colby College softball team opened its spring trip to Florida with a pair of victories on Friday at the Legends Way Ballpark in Clermont, sweeping a non-conference doubleheader, defeating Ripon College, 9–1, in six innings in the opener before topping Smith College, 12–3, in the second game.

Colby 9, Ripon 1 (6 Innings):

Colby (3-0) began the day by carrying their offensive momentum from their season opening victory into their contest against Ripon (8-5). The Mules scored nine on eight hits in the six-inning victory.

The Mules took a 2-0 lead in the second inning off an infield single by sophomore Avery Lyman and a sacrifice fly by senior Carissa Cassidy. Colby added two in the fourth on an RBI double to left field by junior Juliana Kiley before scoring the Mules second run off a Red Hawk miscue.

The Red Hawks cut the Mules deficit to three runs on an RBI groundout in the top of the fourth inning, but Colby answered quickly in the bottom half of the frame with three runs on RBI doubles by Kiley and senior Victoria Ramirez.
Colby added additional insurance in the sixth to trigger the run rule.

Kiley paced the Colby offense in the opener with a 3-for-4 performance, recording two doubles and driving in three runs, while Ramirez added a double with four RBI.

Senior KC DeSarno earned the win in the circle for the Mules, allowing one run off one hit with three strikeouts. Freshman Sharlotte Stazinski made her intercollegiate debut by throwing two scoreless innings in relief with one strikeout out.

Colby 12, Smith 3:

Smith (5-4) briefly took a 1–0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single, but Colby answered quickly in the second inning when junior Caroline DeSimone reached base and later scored on an RBI single from senior Emma Burnham.  The Mules took the lead in the third inning with a solo home run by junior Ella Wilcox, making the score 2-1 in favor of the Mules.

Colby extended its lead in the fourth inning, scoring four runs. Lyman singled to bring home senior Kelsey Sullivan, followed by Wilcox and Kiley each adding RBI singles. By the end of the inning, Colby led 6-1. The fifth inning saw Colby add another run with a solo home run by Burnham, bringing the score to 7-1. Colby continued its offensive momentum in the sixth inning with Ramirez's double driving in Kiley, increasing the lead to 8-1. 

In the seventh inning, Colby scored four more runs, highlighted by DeSimone's double that cleared the bases, bringing the score to 12-1. The Bears responded in the bottom of the seventh by scoring two runs on a bases-loaded walk and a fielder's choice.

Cassidy, Kiley and Sullivan each recorded three hits for the Mules in the victory. Kiley, Ramirez, DeSimone and Sullivan each recorded a double, while Cassidy added a triple and Wilcox and Burnham both hit home runs.

Sophomore Sophia Meade earned the win in the circle for the Mules, tossing a complete-game four-hitter. The left-hander allowed three runs while striking out four batters over the seven innings of work.

Colby returns to action tomorrow for another double-dip, beginning with a clash against Babson at 10 a.m., before a date with Carleton College at 2:30 p.m. ends the day.