MANKATO, Minn. — The UW-River Falls softball team opened its 2026 season at the MSU Dome with a 4-3 win over Gustavus Adolphus College and a 10-0 loss against Saint Mary's University on Sunday, Feb. 15.
The Falcons (1-1, 0-0 WIAC) head back to Mankato next Saturday for games against St. Olaf College and Bethany Lutheran College.
UW-River Falls 4, Gustavus 3
The Falcons used a late push to secure a 4-3 win over the Gusties, with freshman
Addison Eaton in her first career game as a Falcon hitting a walk-off solo homer to lead UWRF to victory in the 2026 season opener.
UWRF struck first in the top of the opening inning when Caitlyn Kressel delivered an RBI single to score Grace Gardner. Gustavus answered with runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-1 advantage. The game remained tight into the middle frames before River Falls pulled even in the fifth, as Ella Stuber drove in Abby Pitts to tie the game at 2-2.
The Falcons knotted the game again in the sixth after the Gusties briefly reclaimed the lead, with Pitts delivering an RBI single to score Tessa Peterson even the contest at 3-3. In the bottom of the seventh, Addison Eaton provided the decisive swing, blasting a solo home run over the left field fence put UWRF in front 4-3.
Alexa Dusterhoft made the start in the pitcher's circle, going four innings with four strikeouts. Randi Metzler pitched 1.2 innings, and Brooklyn VanGruensven pitched 1.1 innings, relieving Metzler in the sixth and shutting the door in the seventh to earn the win.
Saint Mary's 10, UW-River Falls (5 inn.)
The Falcons fell to Saint Mary's in the second game of their Mankato doubleheader, who finished last season as the No. 7-ranked team in NCAA Divsion III.
Saint Mary's opened the scoring in the first inning and used big swings in the fourth and fifth to build a commanding lead, shutting out the Falcons in five innings.
UWRF was held to six hits, led by a pair from
Lacie Lilyquist.
Brooklyn VanGruensven was the starting pitcher and lasted 3.2 innings.
