RIVER FALLS, Wis. — The UW-River Falls softball team split a doubleheader at home against the No. 11 UW-Oshkosh Titans on Saturday, April 19.
After a narrow 2-0 loss in game one, the Falcons bounced back with a dramatic 4-3 walk-off victory that saw UWRF overcome a 3-0 deficit earlier in the game against the eleventh-ranked team in Division III. The doubleheader moved UWRF's record on the season to 17-13 overall and 2-4 in WIAC play.
UW-Oshkosh 2, UW-River Falls 0
In game one, the two teams played out a pitcher's duel in a low-scoring matchup. Each team totaled five hits, but the Titans took advantage of two early runs to build a 2-0 lead that ultimately held through the final out.
UW-Oshkosh started the game with a leadoff triple that later led to an RBI single, before another RBI single in the top of the second gave UW-Oshkosh a 2-0 advantage.
The Falcons managed to put runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable to complete the comeback as the Titans held on to win 2-0.
UW-Oshkosh's Sydney Nemetz pitched a seven-inning shutout, tallying her WIAC-leading 11th win. For the Falcons, Lindsey Duggan and Brooklyn VanGruensven combined to throw five scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit.
Grace Gardner, Caitlyn Kressel, Kelly Aultman, Kayla Dolan, and Natasha Burinda tallied hits for UWRF.
UW-River Falls 4, UW-Oshkosh 3
The second game of the doubleheader started off with a two-run top of the first for UW-Oshkosh, with the Titans doing so off a sacrifice bunt and passed ball.
In the top of the fifth, the Titans loaded the bases with one out. A single scored a run, but Duggan forced a fielder's choice and struck out the final batter to get out of the inning. UW-Oshkosh narrowly extended the leads to 3-0.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, UWRF loaded the bases by way of two singles and a walk. With the bases loaded, Addi DeMeyer fought through a battle with the opposing pitcher that resulted in a walk, scoring Michaela Hasapopoulos. On the following at-bat, Hannah Effertz singled to score Kayla Dolan and cut the deficit to 3-2. The Falcons were unable to make up any further ground in the inning, but drew within one run as the teams headed into the seventh inning.
After Duggan pitched a scoreless top of the seventh, Emily Crowe started the Falcons off with a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh. Grace Gardner then drew a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. A double to deep center field by Kressel moved the runners, but the Titans managed to make the out at home to keep the game at 3-2, with Falcon runners at second and third.
After Kelly Aultman was walked to load the bases, Kayla Dolan singled to score Gardner and tie the game at 3-3. With the game on the line in the ensuing at-bat, Abby Pitts hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Kressel and gave the Falcons an empathic walk-off victory over the Titans.
Duggan received the win, improving to 6-3 on the year. She pitched 4.1 innings and allowed one earned run off four hits, striking out one batter.
At the plate, Kressel and Effertz each finished with two-hit performances. Gardner, Kressel, Hsapopoulas, and Dolan scored runs in the win.
Up next, the Falcons are set to travel to UW-La Crosse for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 22. The games are set to begin at 2 p.m.
