RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The UW-River Falls baseball team hosted a non-conference game against Bethel University Wednesday afternoon at First National Bank of River Falls Field for its 2026 home opener, falling by a score of 22-15.
The two teams combined for 37 runs, 30 hits, and 23 walks in a game that featured multiple momentum swings and big innings on both sides.
UWRF struck early, as Max Krebs connected on a first-inning home run to even the score at 1-1. After Bethel built a multi-run lead midway through the game, the Falcons responded with one of their biggest innings of the season in the seventh.
Trailing 12-6, UWRF plated five runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to 12-11. Tanner Hraby delivered a key two-RBI single, while the Falcons capitalized on walks and timely hitting to climb back within one.
Bethel answered immediately, however, scoring five runs in the eighth and adding five more in the ninth to create separation in the late innings.
Despite the loss, the Falcons continued to produce offensively throughout the contest. Krebs led the way with three hits and two RBIs, while Hraby drove in a team-high three runs, including his first career home run. JV Castillo added a three-run home run in the sixth, and Kaleb Zabielski recorded a multi-hit game with a double and three runs scored.
UWRF added three more runs in the ninth inning, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Colton Skoglund, but the late push was not enough to overcome Bethel's offensive output.
The Falcons finished with 13 hits and drew 12 walks in the game, placing runners on base consistently against Bethel's pitching staff.
UW-River Falls opens its 2026 WIAC schedule this weekend with a four-game road series at UW-La Crosse.
