The Falcon softball team, playing in the NCAA Championship series for the first time since 1994 lost, 4-2, to Ripon College on Thursday evening at Gelein Field in Eau Claire.

The Falcons, ranked No. 21 in this week's NFCA poll, are now 26-14 overall and will play Eau Claire at 1:30 p.m., on Friday in an elimination game. The Falcons are 2-1 against Eau Claire this year. The two teams met in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament with the Falcons coming away with a 5-4 come-from-behind win.

The Falcons scored two runs on seven hits and made one error. The Red Hawks scored four runs on seven hits and they made no errors.

Ripon advanced a runner to third with two outs in the second. Amanda Ryder (Menomonie, WI, Menomonie) made a diving catch in the left-center field gap to end the threat and keep RC off the scoreboard.

Ripon got on the scoreboard first when Jordan Hester hit a solo homer to right center off a 1-2 pitch. It was her first homer of the year. Later in the inning Cassie Bilotto hit a three-run homer to center to make it a 4-0 game. It was her seventh homer of the year and came on a 1-0 count.

In the Falcon third Nicole Lubahn (Wanamingo, MN, Kenyon-Wanamingo) beat out a bunt for a single with two outs. Hayley Buchanan (Eden Prairie, MN, Eden Prairie) singled to right center and she ended up on second on the throw when Lubahn went to third. Ashley Goettl (North Mankato, MN, West) then delivered a big single to center to score both Lubahn and Buchanan. That pulled the Falcons to within 4-2 after three innings.

The Falcons got out of a jam in the fourth. The Red Hawks loaded the bases with no outs. The Falcons got one out on a force out at home and then turned a double play to end the threat.

The Falcons put two runners on in the seventh, but couldn't score. Shawna Middleton (Hastings, MN, Hastings) led off with a single to center and Jessie Bester (Hampton, MN, Randolph) deliverd a pinch hit singled to right to put runners on first and second with one out. The final out came on a force out at third .

Rose Tusa (Roseville, MN, St. Anthony Village) started and took the loss. She pitched three innings and allowed five hits and four earned runs. She walked one and struck out one. The one strike out gives her 218 this year and sets a UWRF single season record. Tusa is now 19-7 this year.

Sarah Bohlen (Rochester, MN, Mayo) pitched the last four innings and was very effective. She allowed just two hits and no runs. She walked three and struck out three.

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