The Falcon softball team beat WIAC rival UW-Eau Claire, 4-1, in an elimination game at the NCAA Regional on Friday afternoon.

The Falcons will play the loser of the Luther-La Crosse game at 11 a.m., on Saturday. Luther and La Crosse play at 4 p.m., today.

The Falcons scored four runs on 12 hits and made one error. RF scored single runs in the second and fifth innings and two in the fourth.

Eau Claire scored one run on three hits and made one error. The Blugolds scored their run in the second.

Rose Tusa (Roseville, MN, St. Anthony Village) pitched a masterful game. She went the distance and is now 20-7. She allowed three hits and one run, it was unearned. She struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Ashley Goettl (North Mankato, MN, West) led off the second with a double down the left field line and she went to third went Alyssa Black (Mankato, MN, West) flew out to deep right center field. After a second out Jessie Bester (Hampton, MN, Randolph) lined a single to right center to score Goettl with the game's first run.

Eau Claire, now 29-16, tied the game in the bottom of the first. The leadoff hitter singled and the next batter beat out a bunt. On the play a Falcon throwing error advanced the runner to third. A suicide squeeze play brought in the runner from third.

In the fourth Goettl led off with a double down the left field line and Black reached first on a fielding error. Shawna Middleton (Hastings, MN, Hastings) drew a walk to load the bases. Bester came through with a big single to left that scored Goettl and Black. Dana Book (Brooklyn Center, MN, Champlin Park) reached first on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs, but the Falcons couldn't get another run home.

The Falcons, now 27-14, scored a single run in the fifth. With two outs, Black singled to right and Middleton followed with a double to left that scored Black from first.

Goettl finished 3-4 with two runs scored. She had three doubles. Bester was 2-3 with three RBI. Olson finished 2-4 and Black was 1-4 with two runs scored. Middleton was 1-2 with one RBI.

Box Score