MENOMINEE, Wis. (uwrfsports.com)  - UW-River Falls Softball (12-18-1, 3-5-1 WIAC) split with UW-Stout (14-16, 4-6 WIAC) in a WIAC doubleheader on Thursday afternoon with the Falcons winning game two by a score of 8-4.

The Falcons knocked around 14 hits, and brought home nine runs between the two games. UW-River Falls now currently stands sixth in the WIAC standings.

GAME 1: UWRF 1  UW-STOUT  4
In game one, Michelle LaCasse stood in the circle to start the game, and struck out four batters in the first two innings and didn't allow a run through two innings.

The Falcons took the first lead of the afternoon in the top of the second inning after Shannan Borchardt reached on an error and advanced to second on an error. Borchardt then moved to third after a groundout before Hannah Zurn singled to right field for her sixth RBI of the season to give UWRF the 1-0 lead.

UW-Stout was able to tie the game up in the bottom of the third inning. After three singles by the Blue Devils, and two outs, Heather Bol was able to reach home on a passed ball which knotted the score at 1-1 after three innings of play.

In the next two and a half innings, the two teams combined for one hit and no runs and the game still tied at 1-1. UW-Stout finally broke that trend with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning starting with a walk home, then a two RBI single by Bol. The Falcons were unable to rally back in the top of the seventh inning, and the Blue Devils got the win by a final score of 4-1.

LaCasse finished the game with six innings pitched; she allowed three earned runs and tied her season high of seven strikeouts.

GAME 2: UWRF 8  UW-STOUT  4
Game two saw batches of offensive pressure by each team, starting with UW-Stout in the bottom half of the first inning. The Blue Devils smacked two hits and took advantage of one error by the Falcons to take an early 2-0 lead.

The Falcons used a flurry of hits from the middle and bottom of their lineup in the top of the second inning to put pressure on the Blue Devils starting with a leadoff double by Zurn. Katie Thompson then stepped in and singled to center field and advanced to second with Zurn at third base.

Up next was Borchardt who singled to bring home Zurn for her 13^th RBI this year. Senior Sarah Sorensen then doubled to center field and brought home Borchardt and Thompson to snag the lead 3-2.

Maddie Studnicka took over in the bottom of the second inning for LaCasse, and pitched five innings with no runs allowed and scattering three hits and striking out one and allowing no walks.

With a 3-2 lead, UWRF opened up the flood gates with a five run fifth inning. After two quick outs, Aiyana Ledwein sprinted to first and was credited with an infield single followed by a single by Ali Murray, who also advanced to second on the throw. Zurn then stepped up and poked her third hit of the day past the pitcher to drive home Ledwein making the score 4-2.

Zurn then stole second base, and Murray stole home and sparked the Falcons offense, making the score 5-2. Following the double steal, Thompson doubled to centerfield and brought in Zurn pushing the lead to 6-2. Borchardt then stepped up and smashed her fourth home run of the season over the left field fence bringing home Thompson and herself making the score 8-2 after all the dust settled.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, UW-Stout was able to push home two more runs on a two-run home run to make the score 8-4 at the end of the day.

After taking over for LaCasse, Studnicka was able to obtain her first victory of the season moving her record to 1-2. Borchardt hit her 13^th double of the season; she now is tied for sixth in the single-season doubles record with Jenny Vick. The most is 17 by three different Falcons.

UW-River Falls next will host UW-La Crosse (19-12, 4-4 WIAC) on Saturday with the first pitched scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Last season UWRF dropped all three games against UW-La Crosse. The Falcons currently are 3-0-1 at home this season.