Softball | 3/6/2015 1:11:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Falcon softball team split two games against nationally ranked teams on Friday night in Rochester, Minn.

The Falcons opened with a 7-5 win over Central College, but then lost a 4-3 nine-inning game to Luther College.

The Falcons, now 4-2 overall, will play two more games at the Rochester Dome on Saturday. The Falcons play Gustavus Adolphus at 10 a.m., and Dubuque at 3 p.m.

River Falls 7, Central 5
Kaitlyn Lepine hit two home runs, including a two-out, two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh to win the game, to help lead the Falcons to a 7-5 win over No. 11 ranked Central College in the team's first game on Friday.

Lepine homered to left in the seventh and it was her third round tripper of the young season. In the bottom of the first she hit a three-run shot to left to get the Falcons off to a 3-0 lead. Lepine finished 3-4 at the plate with five RBI and two runs scored.

UWRF banged out 11 hits, a season high, in the win. Abbie Morris, who finished 2-3 with two runs scored, hit a two-run homer to center in the fifth to give the Falcons a 5-4 lead at the time. Sarah Sorensen continued her hot hitting, she has now hit safely in every game, going 2-4 with two runs scored. She doubled to lead off the first and it was her second two-bagger of the year. Katie Thompson was 2-3 and hit her first double of the year to lead off the sixth inning.

Morris started on the mound for the Falcons and she worked the first 4.1 innings. She allowed seven hits and four earned runs. She struck out three and walked two. Brooke Lauritzen came on in relief in the fifth and finished the game She got the win and is now 3-0 this year. She allowed two hits and one earned run. She struck out two and walked three.

The Falcons scored seven runs on 11 hits and made two errors while the Dutch scored five runs on nine hits and they did not make an error.

Luther 4, River Falls 3 (9)
The Falcons came close to getting the sweep, but Luther was able to get the win scoring in the ninth inning.

Using the international tie breaker rule after seven innings, Luther had a runner placed on second to start the ninth. Two batters latre Luther was able to score on a single.

UWRF was limited to five hits, but two were home runs. Trailing 2-0, Thompson hit her first home run of the season to lead off the third inning. The Falcons tied the score in the top of the fourth. With two outs Lepine doubled and then Lauritzen singled to score pinch runner Megan Svir.

Luther took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth scoring a single run.

Sorensen, who has hit safely in all six Falcon games now, hit her first homer of the season to lead off the sixth and tie the game again, 3-3.

Lauritzen started on the mound and pitched the first five innings. She allowed six hits and three earned runs. She sturck out four and walked one. Morris took the loss in relief and is now 1-1. She worked 3.1 innings and allowed just two hits. The run was unearned. She struck out two and walked three.