MANKATO, Minn. – The UW-River Falls softball team officially opened its 2022 campaign Saturday afternoon on the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato, falling against the College of Saint Benedict and Bethany Lutheran during the Bethany Lutheran College Invitational.
UWRF totaled 11 hits through two games, led by a pair each from Grace Peterson,
Keegan Piton, and
Kelly Aultman.
Saint Benedict 19, UW-River Falls 1 (5 inn.)
The Bennies limited the Falcons to just two hits while scoring 19 off 19 hits, including three home runs.
CSB scored runs in every inning, including a seven-run fifth inning that ended the game.
UWRF's sole run came in the second inning, when a
Mavis Sachs RBI double scored Peterson.
Juliana Reynolds suffered the loss in the pitcher's circle, allowing seven earned runs in 2.1 innings.
Lindsey Duggan and
Maggie Wallin pitched in relief.
Bethany Lutheran 8, UW-River Falls 5
During game two, Falcon starting pitcher
Corinne Roe pitched a complete game, allowing five earned runs in six innings.
Trailing by five runs after the fifth inning, the Falcons put together a rally with three runs in the sixth inning but came up short against the Vikings.
After BLC took a 4-0 lead after the second inning, the Falcons answered in the third with
Kelly Aultman RBI double that scored Piton. UWR added another the following inning, as a
Chapin Rappaport single scored Peterson, trimming the Viking lead to 5-2.
BLC scored a pair in the fifth inning, which ended up being the difference, extending its lead to 7-2.
RBI singles from
Johanna Breyen and Piton helped cut the deficit to two runs in the sixth. The Vikings tacked on another run in the sixth and earned the three-run margin of victory.
Both teams tallied nine hits, including two hits each from the Falcons' Piton and Aultman.
UW-River Falls, 0-2 overall, returns to action next weekend competing at Augsburg University.
