Blue Devils edged twice at UW-River Falls

UW-River Falls 5, UW-Stout 3 | UW-River Falls 4, UW-Stout 3

RIVER FALLS (April 15, 2021) - UW-River Falls pulled out a pair of wins in the late innings over UW-Stout Thursday at Faye Perkins Stadium. The Falcons captured wins of 5-3, 4-3.

The Falcons scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth of the first game to break a 3-3 tie, then broke another 3-3 tie with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh of the second game.

In the opener, the Blue Devils (3-12, 0-5 WIAC) got on the board first after Korin Hall put a ball into the sun that fell between the Falcons' third baseman and left fielder and Hall advanced to second. Kayli Pfeffer walked and the Hall and Pfeffer executed a double steal to get both into scoring position. Shannon Jones plated Hall with a sacrifice fly to right field, which also moved Pfeffer to third. following an out, Kaylee Peterson drove home Pfeffer when she slashed a single to left field and Stout held a 2-0 lead.

The Blue Devils kept the Falcons (7-7, 3-3 WIAC) off the board in the bottom of the opening inning. With Falcon runners on second and third, Stout second baseman Taylor Mancl scooped up a hard hit ball directly to her and fired the ball home, getting the lead runner.

But Stout couldn't keep the Falcons off the board in the third inning as River Falls scored three runs on four hits to take a 3-2 lead. 

Stout tied the game in the fifth. After two outs, Pfeffer singled to right field, then stole second. Jones worked her way on when she was hit by a pitch. Pfeffer came home on a hit by Meghan Kelly. The Falcons got the winning runs in the sixth inning, scoring twice. 

Stout finished the game with six hits to 11 for the Falcons. Melea Bruns struck out three for Stout, while Juliana Reynolds fanned nine for River Falls.

In game two, it was the Falcons who opened the scoring, striking first in the third inning.

Stout tied the game in the fourth on Meghan Kelly's single to left, bringing home Kaylee Peterson, who led off the inning with a double. The Blue Devils tooke the lead with a two-run fifth inning. Kelly Beck opened with a walk then, following an out, moved to third on Pfeffer's double. Peterson brought Beck home on a sacrifice fly to center and, following a pitching change, Jones welcomed the new pitcher with an RBI single to bring in Pfeffer and Stout led 3-1. 

River Falls chipped away, scoring a run in the fifth to pull to within one run, then tied the scored in the sixth. 

Pfeffer led off the seventh with her second double of the game, but was left stranded on third after moving on an infield grounder.

The Falcons delivered three consecutive singles to start the bottom of the seventh, with Chapin Rappaport driving in the game-winning run with a single to left field.

Stout had seven hits in the game, to the Falcons' 11. Jones and Pfeffer each were 2 for 4, with Pfeffer collecting a pair of doubles. Keegan Piton was 3 for 4 to lead River Falls. 

Stout returns home Saturday, April 17 to host UW-Whitewater at 2 p.m. Stout will be at UW-Eau Claire, Tuesday, April 20 for a non-conference set of games with the Blugolds.