Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Falcons softball team sprung into third place in the WIAC standings with a crucial sweep over UW-Platteville on Sunday at Ramer Field, winning 1-0 and 6-3. 

Rose Tusa picked up a pair of wins in the doubleheader, improving to 17-5 on the season, tossing two complete games.

The Falcons, now 23-12 overall and 8-6 in WIAC play, host UW-La Crosse on Monday at 3 p.m., at Ramer Field in the final games of the regular season.

River Falls 1, Platteville 0
In the opener, Tusa picked up her sixth shutout of the season guiding the Falcons to a 1-0 victory. The senior allowed just four hits and fanned 13 Pioneers. The Falcons scored the only run in the bottom of the first as Haley Buchanan hit a lead-off double, her eighth of the season. A pair of fielder's choice from Patty Olson and Amber O'Connell brought in Buchanan, which is all Tusa would need to pick up the win in the opener.
 
The Falcons had seven hits in the opener, including two by Sarah Bohlen. Bohlen has seven hits in the last five games, hitting .500 during that stretch.
 
Tusa put an exclamation mark on the victory, by striking out the side in the top of the seventh, not giving the Pioneers a chance. No Platteville runners made it as far as third base in the seven innings as Tusa kept them off the bases, not issuing a walk – just as she has done the past four games. Tusa has 186 strikeouts compared to just 18 walks in 2012.

River Falls 6, Platteville 3
Platteville jumped to a 2-0 lead in its first at bat, but the only lead of the game was short-lived as Ashley Goettl blasted her WIAC-best 11th home run and 42nd RBI of the season in the bottom of the first. Goettl's three-run shot scored Buchanan and Olson to put the Falcons up 3-2 after the first frame.
 
The Falcons added another run in the home-half of the third with Amanda Ryder knocking in Kristy Martinson on a base hit to left field. Ryder's 10th RBI of the season extended the lead to 4-2 as she keeps her average above the .400 mark for the season.
 
The Pioneers inched closer in the sixth, cutting the lead to one before the Falcons answered again. This time O'Connell led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer as she finished 2-3 on the day with her third home run of the season. The Falcons added one more insurance run as Lily Buckley and Buchanan hit back-to-back doubles, increasing the lead to 6-3.
 
Tusa slammed the door on the Pioneers once again, earning her 65^th career victory. Tusa struck out eight and walked none in the complete game victory which propelled the Falcons into third place in the WIAC standings.