RIVER FALLS, Wis. – In a back-and-forth battle that featured 25 combined runs and 29 total hits, the UW-River Falls baseball team rallied in the bottom of the 10th inning to secure a 13-12 walk-off victory over the University of Northwestern on Tuesday afternoon at First National Bank of River Falls Field.
The Falcons wasted no time jumping in front, plating five runs in the opening inning behind a flurry of hits and aggressive baserunning. Tanner Hraby sparked the offense with a leadoff double and later added three hits on the day, while Andrew Athmann delivered a pair of RBIs, including the game-winning knock in the 10th.
UWRF built an early 8-2 lead through four innings. Daniel Kibler finished with three hits and two RBIs, and Max Krebs added three runs scored as the Falcons' lineup produced contributions throughout the order.
Northwestern responded with a surge in the middle innings, highlighted by a four-run fourth that cut the deficit to one. The Eagles eventually grabbed their first lead in the 10th inning, taking a 12-11 advantage after capitalizing on a wild pitch and a double steal.
Despite the setback, the Falcons answered in the bottom half. Kaleb Zabielski walked to open the inning, igniting a Falcon rally that included a defensive miscue by Northwestern to put runners in scoring position. With two outs, Athmann lined a single down the left field line, bringing home the tying and winning runs to seal the victory.
On the mound, Dillon Carrell earned the win in relief after tossing the final inning, while the Falcons' pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts.
The Falcons improved to 6-8 overall on the season and return to WIAC play this weekend, hosting a four-game series against UW-Platteville.
