MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The UW-River Falls softball team swept its doubleheader against Martin Luther on Day 1 of the Auggie Dome Games in Minneapolis on Friday, March 7.
The Falcons won both games in five innings, winning by a combined score of 28-0. UWRF totaled 28 hits on the day and saw its record improve to 2-2 on the season.
Across both games, UWRF's pitching staff allowed no hits or runs over two five-inning victories. Brooklyn VanGruensven pitched a five-inning no-hitter in game one, while Alexa Dusterhoft and Lindsey Duggan combined for a five-inning no hitter in the second game.
The wins marked the first victories as a Falcon for first-year head coach Ethan Giese.
UW-River Falls 16, Martin Luther 0 (Five innings)
UW-River Falls saw its bats come alive in a dominant win over Martin Luther in game one of the doubleheader, winning 16-0 in five innings.
The Falcons broke the scoreless tie with a four-run second inning, before erupting for back-to-back six-run innings in the third and fourth.
Brooklyn VanGruensven was highly effective in the pitcher's circle, throwing five innings with no runs or hits. She struck out six batters.
Grace Gardner went 4-4 at the plate, totaling two RBIs and two runs. Maddie Koch went 3-4 with three RBIs and three runs and Kayla Dolan went 2-3 with three runs. Cailtyn Kressel, Kelly Aultman, and Kaitlyn Hall also scored two runs each.
As a team, UWRF totaled 17 hits. The Falcons tallied eight stolen bases, with Gardner leading the way with four.
UW-River Falls 12, Martin Luther 0 (Five innings)
In the second game of the doubleheader, UWRF capitalized off 11 hits as a team to win 12-0 in five innings. Pitchers Alexa Dusterhoft and Lindsey Duggan combined to throw five perfect innings, concluding a day in which the Falcons allowed no hits for the Knights across two games.
The Falcons acquired a narrow 1-0 lead in the second inning with an RBI-single by Ella Woida to score Natasha Burinda.
A big third inning helped UW-River Falls take a sizable lead, as the Falcons added six runs to take a 7-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third. Woida hit a two-run home run to center field to cap off a productive inning at the plate.
The Falcons added four more runs in the fourth inning, as Aultman homered, Burinda tripled, and Dolan hit a sacrifice-hit. UWRF scored one more run off a wild pitch in the fifth inning, putting the game away with a 12-0 advantage.
Alexa Dusterhoft received the win to improve to 1-0 on the year, after she pitched three perfect innings that saw five strikeouts. Lindsey Duggan threw two perfect innings in relief, also striking out five batters. The combined no-hit performance was part of a dominant pitching day in which the Falcons allowed no runs or hits and struck out 16 batters across the two games.
In game two, Aultman led the way with a 2-3 performance at the plate, with three RBIs and two runs scored. Burinda finished the game with three runs scored and one RBI off a 2-4 performance at the plate. Woida totaled three RBIs and one run off a 2-3 showing from the plate.
Up next, the Falcons will return for Day 2 of the Auggie Dome Games, playing a doubleheader against Crown College. The games are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on March 8.
