Rochester, Minn. (uwrfsports.com) –  The UW-River Falls softball team kicked off their season playing 4 games this weekend at the Luther College Dome games in the Rochester Dome. The Falcons outscored their opponents 43-15 as the offense got going early and often and pitcher Payton Speckel pitched well to pick up 3 victories as the Falcons went 3-1 on the weekend.

THE RUNDOWN GAME 1 vs KNOX COLLEGE
Final Score: UW-River Falls 15, Knox College 7
Location: Rochester Dome, Rochester, MN
Records: UWRF 1-0, Knox College 0-1

WHAT HAPPENED AGAINST KNOX COLLEGE

• The Falcons jumped out to a 15-1 lead and cruised to a 15-7 victory in 5 innings.
• Molly Kaspar started the scoring for the Falcons when she knocked in 2 with a single to left, she advanced to 2^nd on an error by the left fielder. Amber Galloway was up next and singled to center to bring Kaspar in from 2^nd to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead. After a Maddie Studnicka walk, Erin Ralph singled to center to bring in Galloway to put the Falcons up 4-0 after the top of the first.
• The Falcon offense continued to roll in the 2^nd inning, adding another run when Shannon Borchardt grounded to the pitcher which allowed Rebecca Daley to score. Falcons now up 5-0.
• The Falcons exploded for 5 runs in the top of the 3^rd. Kaspar got things going with a leadoff double and Galloway knocked her in after an error by the right fielder to put the Falcons up 6-1. Daley's single two batters later knocked in Galloway to add to the Falcon lead. With runners on second and third Ali Krohn hit a shot to the short stop who couldn't field it cleanly and allowed two more Falcons to score and Krohn went to second on the throw. Borchardt singled and knocked Krohn in to put the Falcons up 10-1.
• The Falcons added 5 more in the top of the 4^th, highlighted by a three ground-rule doubles by Noelle Senour, Amber Galoway, and Ali Krohn. The Falcons lead 15-1 after the top of the 4^th.
• Knox College got their offense going in the bottom of the 4^th to bring the score to 15-6, but the Falcons rolled to victory 15-7.
• Payton Speckel pitched 3 innings, gave up 1 hit and 1 run while striking out 8, getting the win for the Falcons.
• Hannah Stegeman came in to pitch 2 innings giving up 1 hit and 1 run while striking out 2.
   

THE RUNDOWN GAME 2 vs RIPON COLLEGE
Final Score: UW-River Falls 10, Ripon 2
Location: Rochester Dome, Rochester, MN
Records: UWRF 2-0, Ripon 0-2

WHAT HAPPENED AGAINST RIPON COLLEGE

• The Falcon offense got a pair across in the second inning to give the Falcons an early 2-0 lead. Shannon Borchardt singled in Molly Kaspar and advanced to third on the throw. Amber Galloway followed with a single of her own knocking in Borchardt from third to put the Falcons up 2-0.
• The Falcons would put another big number up in the 3^rd scoring 5 to go up 7-0. Noelle Senour got things started with a ground-rule double and scored two batters later on Borchardt's ground-rule double. An RBI single by Galloway and a sacrifice fly by Studnicka knocked in the next to for the Falcons putting them up 5-0. Back to back doubles by Erin Ralph and Lexi Dupee knocked in the final two runs of the inning for the Falcons.
• After Ripon scored 2 in the 5^th the Falcons answered with 1 in the fifth and 2 in the bottom of the 6^th to end the game 10-2.
• Speckel pitched all 6 innings for the Falcons, giving up 2 earned runs and striking out 3.

THE RUNDOWN GAME 3 vs BELOIT COLLEGE
Final Score: UW-River Falls 16, Beloit 3
Location: Rochester Dome, Rochester, MN
Records: UWRF 3-0, Beloit 0-3

WHAT HAPPENED AGAINST BELOIT COLLEGE

• The Falcons came out swinging in the top of the first putting up 5 runs to jump out to an early lead. Back to back doubles by Aiyana Ledwein and Ali Krohn got things started for the Falcons. After a walk and stolen bases by Krohn and Kaspar, Borchardt doubled in 2 to put the Falcons up 3-0. Galloway singled to knock in one more and Studincka reached on an error by the shortstop to bring in the last run of the inning, giving the Falcons a 5-0 lead.
• Beloit answered with 2 in their half of the first inning to make the score 5-2.
• The Falcons pushed their lead back to 5 after three consecutive hits to start the second inning. Krohn led off the inning with a single to right, Noelle Senour doubled to bring Krohn in and Kaspar singled to bring in Senour to give the Falcons a 7-2 lead.
• The Falcons added 3 more in the 3^rd, starting with a 2 RBI single by Senour and a Sac fly later in the inning by Kaspar to put the Falcons up 10-2.
• The Falcons added 6 more in the top of the 5^th. The inning was highlighted by 6 singles, a walk and a couple of stolen bases as the Falcons put Beloit away 16-2.
• Payton Speckel got the win for the Falcons, throwing 2 innings and allowing 1 earned run while striking out 3.
• Maddie Studnicka came in to relieve Speckel and threw 3 no hit innings striking out 1 and walking 1.    

 
THE RUNDOWN GAME 4 vs CORNELL COLLEGE
Final Score: UW-River Falls 2, Cornell 3
Location: Rochester Dome, Rochester, MN
Records: UWRF 3-1, Cornell 1-2

WHAT HAPPENED AGAINST CORNELL COLLEGE

• The Falcons played some good defense in the first inning to keep Cornell off the board. After two consecutive walks, the Falcon defense got the lead runner at third after a grounder to short. Noelle Senour threw out a runner trying to steal third and Payton Speckel got a strike out to end the inning.
• In their half of the inning the Falcons put together a couple of singles and the runners moved around by two passed balls and Lexi Dupee scored to put the Falcons up 1-0.
• The Falcons added to their lead in the 2^nd inning when Borchardt scored off, of a groundout to third, to put the Falcons up 2-0.
• Cornell tied the game up at 2 in the top of the 5^th after three consecutive hits.
• Cornell took the lead at 3-2 in the top of the 6^th.
• The Falcons were unable to score the equalizer in the final innings and fell to Cornell 3-2.
• Payton Speckel pitched 4 innings giving up 2 runs and striking out 4.
• Maddie Sutdnicka pitched the final 3 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits and taking the loss for the Falcons.   

LOOKING AHEAD
The Falcons will travel to Clermont, Florida to compete in the PFX games, where they will play 12 games in 6 days, starting on March 11^th and ending on March 17^th.