May 17, 2005

Wojnowiak, one of 15 players named to the first team, led the Falcons in hitting with a .420 average. Her batting average is second all time in a single season at UWRF. She played in 34 games and started 32 times. She missed nine games in mid-season with an ankle injury. She tied for the team lead in hits (47) and led the Falcons with 21 runs scored. She led the team with 12 doubles and two triples. The 12 doubles in a season is second in the Falcon records book. She had 16 RBIs and a team high .562 slugging percentage. She finished with a .425 on base percentage. She stole nine bases and was caught stealing only twice. She had a perfect season in the outfield making 29 put outs without an error. She earned the team's Best Offensive Player award.

She is one of four players from the WIAC to be named to the first team. She is the third Falcon player to be named to a first All-Region team. Catcher Anna Poulter was named to the 2004 first Great Lakes Region team and second baseman Crystal Lamont was named to the 1995 first Midwest Region team.

The Falcons finished 18-23 overall and 8-8 in the WIAC.

Go to the 2005 Falcon Statstics Page.

Go to the WIAC softball web site.

Falcon 2005 Season Has Highs, Lows

May 13, 2005

By Tara Sowle
UWRF Sports Information

The UWRF softball team finished their 2005 season with an 18-23 overall record and they were 8-8 in the WIAC.

This year's team went through some highs and lows throughout the season.

"One of the high points was when we went 3-1 at the second WIAC Cluster tournament. We played four very good games and it felt like we were finally putting everything together," said Coach Faye Perkins. The Falcons beat Platteville (9-3), Whitewater (2-0) and Stevens Point (6-2) and lost to Oshkosh (3-2).

According to Perkins, a low point in the season came in early April at a tournament in Michigan. "We lost the second game against Case Western Reserve (4-3). They were not a better team then us, but we let them beat us." But right after that game, they came back to beat Hope, 6-3.

During Spring Break, the Falcons went to Florida for eight days where they played 10 games. "I think the team initially surprised me in Florida. We went 5-5, which was somewhat of a disappointment. However, in a couple of games, they really showed me that they could be a very good team."

Though the Falcons will lose five seniors, this year's freshmen have done exceptionally well. Two of the three Falcons named to the All-WIAC teams are freshmen. Third baseman Emily Evans (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) and outfielder Amanda Wojnowiak (Fr., Big Lake, Minn.) were both named to the first team. Wojnowiak led the Falcons with a .420 average and she had 12 doubles and 16 RBIs. Pitcher Brittany Rathbun (Fr., Rochester, Minn. Mayo HS) earned honorable mention. Rathbun finished with a 5-6 record and a 2.57 ERA in 90 innings pitched. She walked 17 and struck out 67. Perkins hopes returnees like these will step up into leadership rolls next year.

Five seniors will be leaving this year's team along with Carolyn Guisinger, who is graduating in December, and Jamie Falck, who is transferring.

Evans hit .364 and led the Falcons with 19 RBIs. First baseman Emily Stahl hit .319 and had nine doubles and 10 RBIs. Leah Vanderploeg pitched, was a designated player and played left field. She hit .293 and had 12 RBIs. She had a 5-8 record and a 3.35 ERA on the mound. Emily Rodgers played right field and hit .208 with eight RBIs. Megan Blakeley, who played third base, hit .182. Guisinger, who played first base, hit .188 and had three RBIs, while Falck, who played 36 games in various outfield positions, hit .132.

"It's a major loss," said Perkins. She feels confident however in her centerline of defense. The Falcons have two pitchers, the catcher, second baseman, shortstop and center fielder all returning.

"Offensively, we have our two top hitters back, but will be losing our No. three, four and five hitters. They produced the majority of RBIs for the team (41 of 110). The returnees and new players need to step it up at the plate," commented Perkins.

This year's conference had some surprises and left the title up for grabs. Stout won the WIAC tournament and finished 24-19 overall (going into the NCAA Tournament). UW-Eau Claire (33-11) won the regular season WIAC title and was ranked as high as No. 7 in the AFCA poll during the season.

The Falcons went into the WIAC tournament ranked sixth. They lost to Stout in the first game, 8-0, but came back to beat La Crosse, 7-4. They were taken out of the double elimination tournament the next day when they lost to Stevens Point, 2-1.

Perkins believes if her team can get it together and put some returnees into leadership position her team can be one of the top teams in the conference in 2006. "Like this year, the conference will be up for grabs."

Softball Award Winners Named

May 12, 2005

Seven members of the 2005 Falcon softball team have earned team awards.

Emily Stahl (Sr., St. Paul, Minn. Como Park HS) was named the team's Most Valuable Player. The first baseman hit .319 and played in 39 games. She was second on the team in doubles (9) and had 10 RBIs. She stole two bases and had a sparkling .989 fielding percentage.

Amanda Wojnowiak (Fr., Big Lake, Minn.) earned the team's Best Offensive Player award. Playing both right and center field, she led the Falcons with a .420 batting average. That average is the second highest in a single season in Falcon history. She led the team with 21 runs scored and had a team high 12 doubles and two triples. The 12 doubles is also second in a single season in the Falcon records book. She had 16 RBIs and stole nine bases. Wojnowiak was named to the first All-WIAC team and had a perfect fielding percentage. She was named the team's Player of the Week twice.

Emily Rodgers (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) won the team's Best Defensive Player award. Playing both center and right field, she had a perfect season in the field with 47 putouts and seven assists with no errors. She played in 38 games and hit .208. She had three doubles and eight RBIs. She scored 14 runs and stole six bases.

Brittany Rathbun (Fr., Rochester, Minn. Mayo HS) and Michelle Kelley (So., Rochester, Minn. Century HS) were named the team's Most Improved Player award winners. Rathbun is a pitcher and Kelley played left field. Rathbun, who earned honorable mention to the 2005 All-WIAC team, had a 5-6 record and four saves. The four saves is a single season record. She had a 2.57 ERA and pitched 90 innings, mostly in relief. She appeared in 34 of the team's 41 games. She walked 17 and struck out 67. Rathbun was twice named the team's Pitcher of the Week. Opponents hit .251 against her. Kelley played in 31 games and hit .214. She scored six runs and had one double and one triple. She knocked in two runs. She stole five bases. She was once named the team's Player of the Week.

Michelle Heuser (So., Pulaski, Wis.) earned the team's Most Inspirational/Spirit award. Heuser played left field for the Falcons. A supporter of her teammates, Heuser played in 18 games and hit .120. Used extensively as a pinch runner, she scored seven runs. She had one double and stole one base.

Margo Taylor (So., Forest Lake, Minn.) won the team's Most Dedicated award. Taylor, a catcher, played in 14 games and hit .125. She had four RBIs. She knocked in two runs in a 5-4 loss to Whitewater on April 16 and had two RBIs in a 5-4 loss at St. Mary's on April 7. She was the team's bullpen catcher throughout the season.

The Falcons finished 18-23 overall and 8-8 in the WIAC.

Go to the 2005 Falcon Statstics Page.

Evans, Wojnowiak, Rathbun Earn Honors
Three Falcons Named to All-WIAC Softball Teams

May 11, 2005

Three Falcon softball players have been named to 2005 All-WIAC teams.

Third baseman Emily Evans (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) and outfielder Amanda Wojnowiak (Fr., Big Lake, Minn.) were both named to the first team. Pitcher Brittany Rathbun (Fr., Rochester, Minn. Mayo HS) earned honorable mention.

Evans, who earned honorable mention to the team in 2004, hit .364 for the Falcons in 2005. She started all 41 games at third and had a .936 fielding percentage. She tied for the team lead in hits (47) and she had eight doubles. She scored six runs and led the Falcons with 19 RBIs. She had a .426 slugging percentage and a .393 on base percentage. In her career, she finished with a .312 batting average with 16 doubles, one triple and three homers. She had 52 RBIs and a .920 career fielding percentage. She played in 129 games.

Wojnowiak, one of six freshmen named to the first team, led the Falcons in hitting with a .420 average. Her batting average is second in a single season for the Falcons. She played in 34 games and started 32 times. She missed nine games in mid-season with an ankle injury. She tied for the team lead in hits (47) and led the Falcons with 21 runs scored. She led the team with 12 doubles and two triples. The 12 doubles in a season is second in the Falcon records book. She had 16 RBIs and a team high .562 slugging percentage. She finished with a .425 on base percentage. She stole nine bases and was caught stealing only twice. She had a perfect season in the outfield making 29 put outs without an error.

Rathbun earned honorable mention as a pitcher, and she helped the team with her hitting talents also. On the mound she appeared in 34 of the team's 41 games, with all of those in relief except four starts. She had a 2.57 ERA in 90 innings pitched. She had a 5-6 record and led the Falcons with four saves. The four saves in a single season is a Falcon record. She walked only 17 and struck out 67. Opponents hit .250 against her. Rathbun also helped the Falcons at the plate finishing with a .387 average. She scored twice, had two doubles and seven RBIs. She had a .484 slugging percentage and a .472 on base percentage. In the field she had a .938 fielding percentage.

The Falcons finished 18-23 overall and 8-8 in the WIAC.

Go to the 2005 Falcon Statstics Page.

Go to the WIAC softball web site.

Falcons Finish Season with 2-1 Loss to Stevens Point

May 7, 2005

The softball team lost to Stevens Point, 2-1, and are out of the WIAC tournament.

The game ended in the seventh when Leah Vanderploeg singled to center field and Emily Stahl, trying to score the game tying run, was thrown out at the plate on a close call. The Falcons scored one run on six hits and made two errors. They scored in the sixth. Stevens Point scored two runs on five hits and committed no errors. They scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Vanderploeg was 2-3. She singled in the fifth and seventh innings. Amanda Wojnowiak had the only RBI when she hit a single to center field that sent Michelle Heuser home. Emily Evans hit a single to center field in the second, Ashley James hit a double to left field in the sixth, and Stahl hit a single to center field in the seventh. Brittany Rathbun pitched two innings and took the loss - her record is now 5-6. She allowed four hits and two earned runs. She walked zero and struck out one. Ashley Bertrand started and pitched the four innings. She allowed one hit and no runs or walks. She had one strikeout.

The Falcons finish their 2005 season with an overall record of 18-23, and 8-8 in the WIAC.

Falcons Beat UW-La Crosse

May 6, 2005

The softball team is still in the WIAC tournament after defeating UW-La Crosse 7-4.

The Falcons made seven runs in eight hits and made no errors. They scored two runs in the first, one in the second, and made four in the seventh. The Eagles made four runs in seven hits and made one error. They made two runs in the second and sixth innings. In the first inning, Wojnowiak singled then advanced to second on an error by the centerfielder , she then made it to third on a passed ball. Breamber Syverson was walked then went to second on a throw. Emily Stahl then hit a single to send Wojnowiak home and Syverson to third. Emily Evans was up next and reached on a fielder's choice and allowed Syverson to score. In the second inning, Emily Rodgers hit a single then stole second and she made it home when Amanda Wojnowiak hit a double. The Falcons scored most of their runs in the seventh. Jessamy Schwartz and Ashley James were both walked and Sonia Madlon came in to pinch run for James. Emily Rodgers loaded the bases when she reached on a fielder's choice. Carolyn Gusinger hit a single that scored both Madlon and Schwartz. Another single hit by Stahl sent Rodgers home. The last run came from Gusinger when Emily Evans hit a single. Leah Vanderploeg pitched one and two-thirds innings and took the win, her record is now 5-8. She allowed no hits, runs, or walks and had two strikeouts. Ashley Bertrand pitched four innings and had two hits and no runs or walks. She had one strikeout. Brittany Rathbun pitched one inning and allowed three hits two earned runs, no walks, and one strikeout.

The Falcons now have a record of 9-9, and are 18-21 overall. They will play the winner of the Eau Claire Stevens Point game tomorrow at 10:30.

Falcons Lose to Stout in First Game of WIAC Tournament

May 6, 2005

The softball team lost their first game in the WIAC tournament against UW-Stout, 8-0. The Falcons went into the tournament ranked sixth, Stout is ranked third.

The Falcons had four hits and four errors. Stout made seven runs in eight hits and made no errors. They scored one run in the second, two in the first and sixth innings, and three in the fifth. The game started out promising with the first batter of the game, Amanda Wojnowiak, hit a triple to right center. She was called out several plays later for leaving the base early. Brittany Rathbun had the next hit in the second inning when she singled to the pitcher. Wojnowiak had her next hit in the third with a single to the shortstop, and the final hit for the Falcons came from Jessamy Schwartz with a single to center field. Ashley Bertrand pitched one and two-thirds innings and took the loss, her record is now 8-9. She allowed four hits and three runs, one run was earned. She walked one and struck out zero. Brittany Rathbun pitched the other four innings allowing three hits and five runs, three were earned. She struckout one and walked zero.

The Falcons now have a record of 8-9, and are 17-21 overall. They will play seventh ranked UW-La Crosse at 5:30 in Whitewater for the WIAC tournament.

Falcons Face Stout at WIAC Tournament

May 2, 2005

The Falcon softball team will play UW-Stout in its first game at the WIAC Tournament this weekend at UW-Whitewater. The teams will play at 11 a.m. on Friday in the double elimination tourney.

The Falcons (17-21 overall) finished sixth and the Blue Devils (19-18 overall) third in the final WIAC regular season standings. But only a game separated them in the win-loss column. UWRF finished 8-8 and Stout was 9-7 in WIAC games. In a play-in game, Whitewater will play Platteville at 9 a.m. on Friday. That winner will play Eau Claire, the tourney's No. 1 seeded team. Other first round games have Stevens Point (5) vs. Superior (4) and La Crosse (7) vs. Oshkosh (2).

Both UWRF and UWS have been playing well late in the season. UWRF has won seven of its last 10 games while UWS has won eight of its last 10 games.

Two Falcons are hitting over .400 - Brittany Rathbun is at .458 and Amanda Wojnowiak is at .408. Rathbun, a pitcher, has had only 24 at bats, but has played more regularly in the team's last 10 games. She has three doubles and seven RBIs. Outfielder Wojnowiak recently returned to the starting lineup after missing several games with an ankle sprain. She has 42 hits, including 11 doubles and one triple. She has 14 RBIs and has stolen nine bases. Three other Falcons are hitting .300 or better. Emily Evans is hitting .375. The third baseman has a team-high 45 hits and 17 RBIs. She has eight doubles. First baseman Emily Stahl has a .311 average. She has scored 17 runs and has eight doubles and eight RBIs. Pitcher Leah Vanderploeg is hitting .300. She has scored nine runs, has six doubles and a triple. She has 12 RBIs. The Falcons are hitting .274 as a team.

Pitcher Ashley Bertrand has the best ERA on the three-person staff. She has a 2.09 ERA in 100.1 innings pitched. She has an 8-8 record. She has pitched in 22 games. She has walked 34 and struck out 78. Opponents are hitting .241 against her. Rathbun has a 5-5 record with four saves and a 2.45 ERA. She has pitched 80 innings. The four saves is a single season record. She has walked 17 and struck out 64. Opponents are hitting .242 against her. Vanderploeg has a 3.42 ERA and a 4-8 record. She has pitched 77.2 innings and leads the team with four complete games. She has walked 32 and stuck out 63. Opponents are hitting .294 against her. The Falcons have a 2.60 team ERA.

The Blue Devils have four players hitting .300 or better. Jackie Juan has only 34 at bats, but leads the team with a .371 average. Erin O'Connell has a .312 average. She has scored 18 runs and has seven doubles and a team high six homers. She leads the team with 27 RBIs. Beth Lloyd has a .301 average. She has scored eight runs. She has four doubles and a triple and seven RBIs. Kaela Wold is hitting .300. She leads the team with 21 runs scored. She also leads the team with eight doubles. She also has a triple and five homers. She has 15 RBIs. Stout has a team batting average of .231.

Pitcher Megan Donley has a team best 2.44 ERA. She has an 8-11 record and has pitched 129 innings. She has walked 27 and struck out 45. Opponents are hitting .284 against her. Ande Schrader is 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 110 innings pitched. She has walked 60 and struck out 73. Opponents are hitting .273 against her. Stout has a 2.96 team ERA.

The two teams played a WIAC doubleheader just last week (April 27) in Menomonie. Stout won the first game, 4-3, and the Falcons took the second game, 9-4.

If the Falcons beat Stout, they would play the winner of the La Crosse-Oshkosh game at 4 p.m. on Friday. If they lose, they would play the loser of the La Crosse-Oshkosh game at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. The WIAC Tournament uses a double elimination format and the tournament champion gets the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Div. III National Tourney.

Falcons Split Final Day of Home Tournament

May 1, 2005

The softball team ended their two day cluster tournament with a 3-2 loss with Oshkosh and a 6-2 victory over Stevens Point.

In the first game, the Falcons had two runs on six hits and made two errors. They scored both their runs in the fifth inning. Oshkosh had three runs on six hits and made two errors. They scored single runs in the second, third and seventh innings. Emily Evans was the big hitter in this game. She was 3-3 and had two RBIs. Brittany Rathbun started the Falcons off in the fifth with a single to right field. She then advanced to second on a passed ball. Amanda Wojnowiak singled to the shortstop. Megan Blakeely pinch hit for Breamber Syverson and walked filling up the bases. Evans then hit a single that scored Rathbun and Wojnowaik. Ashley Bertrand started and pitched four innings. She allowed three hits and two earned runs. She walked two and struck out three. Rathbun pitched the last two and two-thirds innings allowing three hits and one earned run. She walked one and struck out three.

In the second game, the Falcons scored six runs on 13 hits and had three errors. They scored two runs in the second and fifth innings and single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Stevens Point had two runs on seven hits and made two errors. Both of their runs came in the first inning. Evans was the big hitter again. She was 3-4 with one RBI. In the second inning, Evans it a single to left field and Sonia Madlon came in to pinch run for her. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Rathbun and made it to third on a single by Leah Vanderploeg. Jessamy Schwartz hit Madlon home with a single to right field. Vanderploeg scored the other run when she stole second then made it to third and finally home when Emily Rodgers grounded out to first. Syverson started the scoring in the fifth inning when she hit a single to left field. She advanced to second on an error and made it to third on a single to center by Evans. Stahl had the other run. She made it to first on an error by the third baseman and advanced to second. She went to third on the Evans RBI and was sent home by a single to right by Rathbun. Syverson hit in James in the fifth and Rathbun scored the final run in the seventh inning with a single to center field by Vanderploeg. Rathbun pitched five innings and took the win, her record is now 5-5. She allowed five hits and no runs. She walked one and struck out three. Bertrand pitched two innings and allowed two hits and two runs, one was earned. She struck out one and walked three.

The Falcons now have a record of 17-21 overall and are 8-8 in the conference. They play next weekend at the WIAC tournament in Whitewater.

Falcons Win First Day of Home Tournament

April 29, 2005

The softball team finished the first day of their home cluster tournament with two big wins. They defeated Platteville 9-3 and Whitewater 2-0.

In the first game, the Falcons played errorless ball and made nine runs in seven hits. They scred eight runs in the fourth inning and one run ing the sixth. Platteville made three runs in ten hits and made five errors. They scored all their runs in the fifth inning. The fourth inning began when Emily Stahl was walked, then Emily Evan advanced her to second when she hit a single to right center. Sonis Madlon pinch ran for her. Brittany Rathbun loaded the bases on a fielder's choice. Leah Vanderploeg hit a RBI when she flied out to right field, scoring Stahl. Michelle Huser came in to pinch run for Rathbun. Jessamy Schwartz filled the bases again on a fielder's choice then advanced to second when the catcher made an error allowing Madlon to score. The bases were full again when Ashley James was hit by a pitch. Breamber Syverson then stepped up to hit a single to the sort stop sending Heuser home. Amanda Wojnowiak reached first on a fielder's choice and Schwartz was called out at home. Emily Rodgers was hit by a pitch that walked in James. An error by the short stop allowed Stahl to get to first and Wojnowiak and Syverson to score. Evans was up for the second time and this time smacked a double that sent Stahl and Rodgers home. Their last run came in the sixth Stahl singled to the short stop, advanced to second, then stole third and was finally hit home by Rathbun who singled out to center field. Rathbun pitched four and one-third innings and took the win, making her record 4-4. She allowed seven hits and three earned runs. She walked zero and struck out one. Vanderploeg pitched the remaining two and two-third innings and had only three hits and one walk.

In the next game, the Falcons took on Whitewater. UWRF made two runs in seven hits and made four errors. They scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Whitewater made only one hit and had zero runs and zero errors. The Falcons made their first run when Carolyn Guisinger hit a single to right field and advanced to second on a sac from Rodgers. Wojnowaik then hit a double that sent her home. In the sixth inning Stahl made it to first on a walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Evans. Vanderploeg singled to left field moving Stahl to third and she finaly made it home when Schwartz hi a single to righ field. Ashley Bertrand pitched six innings and took the win, her record is now 8-8. She allowed only one hit and no runs. She struck out four and walked one. Rathbun pitched the remaining inning and allowed no hits or walks and struck out one.

The Falcons record is now 16-20 overall and 7-7 in the WIAC, the second day of the WIAC Cluster tournament is tomorrow. They will take on Oshkosh at 10:30 a.m. and Stevens Point at 4:30 p.m. All games are played at the River Falls High School Fields.

Falcons Split With UW-Stout

April 27, 2005

The softball team were defeated by UW-Stout 4-3 in the first game, then came back to beat them 9-4 in the second.

In the first game the Falcons scored three runs on 10 hits and made one error while Stout scored four runs on six hits and they made no errors. The Falcons scored two times in the third and one run in the seventh. Stout scored three runs in the fourth and and one run in the fifth.
Amanda Wojnowiak lead the Falcon hitting attack, she was 3-4 and scored one run. Breamber Syverson was 2-4 with two runs scored. Wojnowiak started the scoring for the Falcons with a double to center field in the third, Syverson came behind her with a bunt to move her to third then home. Emily Stahl then hit a double to left field that scored Syverson. The last run for the Falcons came in the seventh when Syverson reached first on a fielder's choice and made it to second when Sthal grounded out to the shortstop. She finaly made it home when Emily Evans singled. Ashley Bertrand took the loss, her record is now 7-8. She pitched four innings and allowed four hits and four earned runs. She walked two and struck out three. Brittany Rathbun finished up pitching the final two innings allowing only two hits and she struck out four.

The Falcons scored nine runs on 17 hits and made no errors to win the second game. Stout scored four runs on 10 hits and made three errors. The Falcons scored single runs in the first, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh innng and four runs in the second. Stout had three runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth. Wojnowiak was the big hitter for this game as well. She was 5-5, with three RBIs and she scored two runs. Evans was 4-5 with one RBI and one run scored. Scoring the run in the first inning was Wojnowiak who started the inning off with a double to left field. Evans hit her home with a single to second base. Michelle Kelley started things off in the second inning with a single to left field. Emily Rodgers made it to first on a fielder's choice. Wojnowiak then hit her second double scoring both Kelley and Rodgers. Stout's second baseman made an error that allowed Stahl to get to first and Wojnowiak home. Evans then hit a single that advanced Stahl to third. She got home on an error by the left fielder. Rodgers hit Schwartz home in the third inning and Wojnowiak had her final RBI in the fifth, when she hit a double that sent Rodgers home. Evans scored the run in the sixth from a hit by Ashley James and the last run came from Michelle Heuser who scored off a double by Stahl. Rathbun took the win, her record is now 3-4. She pitched four and one-third innings and allowed six hits and three earned runs. She walked one and struck out six. Leah Vanderploeg pitched the final two and two-third innings allowing four hits and one earned run. She struck out three and walked three.

The Falcons, now 14-20 overall and 5-7 in the WIAC, will host a WIAC Cluster tournament Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday they play Platteville at 9 a.m. and Whitwater at 3 p.m. On Sunday they will take on Oshkosh at 10:30 a.m. and Stevens Point at 4:30 p.m. All games are played at the River Falls High School Fields.

Falcons Split at UWS

April 25, 2005

The softball team split a WIAC doubleheader at UW-Superior on Monday afternoon.

The Falcons won the first game, 5-3, and Superior won the second game, 12-4, in five innings.

In the first game the Falcons scored five runs on 11 hits and made two errors while UWS scored three runs on four hits and they made three errors. UWRF scored three times in the second and single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. UWS scored a single run in the first and two in the fifth. Ashley James was 3-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Falcon hitting attack. Emily Evans was 3-4 and Emily Stahl was 2-4 with a run scored. Emily Rodgers was 1-3 with one RBI and Michelle Kelley was 1-4 with a RBI. Jessamy Schwartz knocked in the other Falcon run. Ashley Bertrand picked up the win on the mound and is now 7-7 this year. She worked four innings and allowed three hits. She allowed one unearned run. She walked two and struck out four. Brittany Rathbun worked the final three innings and allowed one hit and two earned runs. She walked two and struck out three.

UWS scored 12 runs on 14 hits to get the win in the second game. The Falcons scored four runs on seven hits. Both teams made one error. UWS scored four runs in the first and fourth innings and two in the third and fourth. UWRF scored single runs in the second and third innings and tow in the fourth. Amanda Wojnowiak was 2-3 and Stahl was 2-2 with a run scored. Leah Vanderploeg was 1-1 and Schwartz was 1-1 with a run scored. Schwartz tripled in the third inning and scored on an error at third base. Emily Rodgers was 1-2. Vanderploeg started and took the loss on the mound. She is now 4-8 this year. She worked two innings and allowed six hits. She allowed six runs, five were earned. She walked one and struck out one. Rathbun worked two and two-thirds innings and allowed six hits. She allowed six earned runs. She walked one.

The Falcons, now 13-18 overall and 4-6 in the WIAC, will play at UW-Stout on Wednesday with the first pitch to be thrown at 5 p.m.

Falcons Win Second Day of UW-Oshkosh Tournament

April 17, 2005

The softball team won 3-2 against UW-Platteville and 5-4 against UW-Stevens Point due to power hits on Sunday at the WIAC Cluster Tourney at UW-Oshkosh.

Against Platteville, the Falcons scored all three of their runs in the fourth inning. They had a total of six hits and one error. Platteville scored single runs in the third and fifth innings. They scored two runs on five hits and made no errors.

The big fourth inning for the Falcons started with Jessamy Schwartz making it to first on a bunt. Emily Stahl sacrificed her to second and just in time for Emily Evans to hit a double to center field sending Schwartz home. Sonia Madlon came into to pinch run for Evans, but she wouldn't be out there long. Leah Vanderploeg hit a double down the left field line to score Madlon. Michelle Kelley stepped up to hit a triple to send Vanderploeg home. Other hits for the Falcons came in the sixth inning when Schwartz hit a single to center and Evans hit a single to left.

Ashley Bertrand took the win and improved her record to 6-7. She allowed five hits and two runs, one of which was earned. She had two walks and three strike outs. Brittany Rathbun closed out the game, pitching the final two and one-third innings, to pick up her third save of the season. The three saves is a Falcon single season record. She allowed no hits or walks and had five strike outs.

The Falcons took the next game to 10 innings against UW-Stevens Point. They beat the pointers 5-4. The Falcons scored five runs on four hits and made four errors. Stevens Point scored four runs on eight hits and committed two errors.

The Pointers scored two runs in the fourth inning and single runs in the fourth and 10th innings. The Falcons scored late with three runs in the seventh and two in the 10th.

In the seventh inning, Breamber Syverson and Schwartz both walked. Evans then flied out to right field allowing both runners to advance. Syverson took off for home on an error by the right fielder to score the first Falcon run. Megan Blakeley then walked and Madlon came in to be her pinch runner. Rathbun hit a single to center field and was called out at second, but not before scoring both Madlon and Schwartz. In the 10th, Stahl was placed on second just in time for Rathbun to hit a double to center to send her home. Rathbun was then called out at third. But the Falcons weren't done yet. Ashley James hit a single to right field, then Emily Rodgers hit a double to right field to score James and end the game. On Rodgers' double, the UWSP center fielder missed cutting off the ball and the right fielder was injured on the play which helped allow James to score from first. UWSP pitcher Stephanie Anderson had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning.

Rathbun took the win improving her record to 2-4. She pitched five and one-third innings allowing two hits and one unearned run. She walked none and struck out one. Leah Vanderploeg pitched the other four and two-third innings allowing six hits and three unearned runs. She walked one and struck out two.

The Falcons now have an overall record of 12-18 and they are 3-5 in the WIAC. For their next game the Falcons will travel to UW-Superior to take on the Yellowjackets at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Falcons Lose First Day of UW-Oshkosh Tournament

April 16, 2005

The softball team finished the first day of the UW-Oshkosh Tournament with two losses. In the first game, the Falcons lost to UW-Oskosh 5-1. The second game was against UW-Whitwater and ended in a 5-4 defeat.

The Falcons got their first hit in the second inning when Emily Evans hit a single to left field. Their run came in the third when Michelle Kelley hit a double to right center then advanced to third on a wild pitch. She then got herself home when she scored on a passed ball. Other hits for the Falcons came in when Stahl singled to right field in the fourth and then doubled to left field in the seventh. Leah Vanderploeg also had a hit in the seventh with a single to right field.

Ashley Bertrand took the loss and her record dropped to 5-7. She pitched three and two-thirds innings and allowed six hits and four runs, two of which were earned. She had zero walks and four strike outs. Brittany Rathbun pitched the remaining three and one-third innings and had four hits and one run. She allowed zero walks and had five strike outs.

In the second game against Whitewater, the Falcons played tough, but loss 5-4. They had two hits in the second inning and single runs in the third and fifth innings. They made four runs in nine hits and made one error. Whitewater made five runs in eight hits and didn't make any errors. They had one run in the first inning and two runs in the third and fifth innings.

The big inning for the Falcons came in the second when Evans hit a single to center field. Michelle Heuser pinch ran. Stahl then singled to right center putting runners on first and second. Sonia Madlon then stepped up and hit a sac bunt advancing both runners. Margo Taylor then hit a single to left field scoring both Heuser and Stahl. In the fourth, Evans started things off again with a double to right center, then Vanderploeg hit a double to center field scoring Evans. Blackley had a single to left field in the fifth. In the sixth inning, Jessamy Schwartz started the Falcons big with a single to center field. Stahl then made it to first on a bunt. Rathbun walked loading the bases. Guisinger then came in to dh for Madlon. She flied out to right field allowing Schwartz to score. Kelley had the final hit of the game with a single to second base in the seventh.

Vanderploeg took the loss for the Falcons making her record 4-7. She pitched four and one-third innings and allowed five hits and five runs, three of which were earned. She had one walk and three strike outs. Rathbun finished up the pitching with one and two-third innings on the mound. She allowed three hits and zero runs. She struck out one and walked one.

The Falcons now have a record of 10-18 overall, and 1-5 in conference. On Sunday they will play Platteville at 10:30 and Stevens Point at 12:30.

Falcons Split with UW-La Crosse

April 13, 2005

The softball team split with UW-La Crosse Wednesday afternoon at Ramer Field. They lost the first game, 5-1, but came back to beat the Eagles, 4-1.

In the first game, the Falcons had nine hits but were only able to score one run. They also made one error. UWL played errorless ball and scored five runs on 11 hits. They scored one run in the third inning and two runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The Falcons scored their run in the sixth.

Emily Rodgers had the most hits for the Falcons with two. She singled in the first inning, but was thrown out at second when she tried to steal. Jessamy Schwartz also had a single, hers went to right field. James had a single to center field in the second inning. Sonia Madlon singled on a bunt in the third inning, then Rodgers had her second single in the infield. Two more hits for the Falcons came in the fifth inning. Jamie Falck had a single to left field and Breamber Syverson had a single to third base. In the sixth, Emiy Evans singeled to center field, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice letting Emily Stahl stay at first. Brittany Rathbun the hit a double that scored Stahl.

Leah Vanderploeg pitched four and two-thirds innings and took the loss. Her record is now 4-6. She allowed 10 hits and five earned runs. She walked two and struck out two. Rathbun pitched the last two and one-third innings. She allowed only one hit and had two strikeouts.

In the second game, the Falcons scored four runs on four hits and had only one error. UWL had five hits, but were only able to get one run in the fourth. They had two errors. The Falcons scored one run in the second inning, and three in the fifth.

Sthal started things off in the second inning with a single to center field. Vanderploeg sacrificed Stahl tosecond. James then singled to center field, which sent Stahl home. Michelle Kelly also had a hit that inning with a single to center field. In the fifth inning, James started the Falcons off with a double to left field. Then Kelley walked putting runners on first and second. Syverson sacrificed, putting Kelley on second and James on third. Rodgers then reached first on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on the throw and James scored on the play. Kelley scored on an error by the second baseman. Finally Rodgers made it home on a wild pitch.

Ashley Bertrand pitched all seven innings to earn the win. Her record is now 5-6. She allowed five hits and one unearned run. She struck out three and walked no one.

The Falcons now have an overall record of 10-16 and are 1-3 in WIAC play. They play next at UW-Oshkosh in a WIAC Cluster tournamnet. On Saturday they play Oshkosh at 3 p.m. and Whitewater at 5 p.m. On Sunday they play Platteville at 10:30 a.m. and Stevens Point at 12:30 p.m.

UWRF - UWLC Softball Game Postponed Until Wednesday

April 12, 2005

The Falcon softball game against UW-La Crosse scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed until Wednesday. The first pitch will be thrown at 3 p.m. The postponement was due to rain.

The Falcons, 9-15 overall and 0-2 in the WIAC, are riding a two-game winning streak. Outfielder Amanda Wojnowiak leads the team in hitting with a .370 average. She has five doubles, a triple and 10 RBIs. She leads the team with 15 runs scored. Third baseman Emily Evans is second in hitting with a .315 average. She has four doubles and 10 RBIs. Breamber Syverson is the third Falcon who is hitting more than .300. She is hitting .305 with 10 runs scored, one double and two RBIs. She leads the team with 11 stolen bases. The Falcons are hitting .255 as a team. The Falcons have used three pitchers this season. Brittany Rathbun has 18 appearances and started twice. She has pitched 40 innings and has a team best 2.10 ERA. She has walked 10 and struck out 29. She is 1-4 with two saves. Ashley Bertrand has a 4-6 record and a 2.15 ERA. She has pitched 65 innings, walked 24 and struck out 51. Leah Vanderploeg has a 4-5 record with a 2.96 ERA. She has pitched 56.2 innings and has walked 23 and struck out 48. Opponents are hitting .255.

La Crosse, 9-6 overall and 1-1 in the WIAC, is led in hitting by Jenny Wirtz who has a .412 average. She has scored five runs and has three RBIs. Carley Anderson has a .356 average with 16 runs scored. She has three doubles, one homer and eight RBIs. Mindy Sinclair has a .326 average with four runs scored and four RBIs. La Crosse is hitting .270 as a team. Shelly Monahan has a team best 0.69 ERA with a 4-1 record. She has pitched 30.1 innings, walked seven and struck out seven. Jess Iwanski has a 1.35 ERA with a 3-1 record. She has pitched 28 innings, walked 10 and struck out 21. Opponents are hitting .215.

After the La Crosse doubleheader, the Falcons will compete in the first of two WIAC Cluster tournaments. Saturday and Sunday's cluster will be at UW-Oshkosh. The Falcons play Oshkosh at 3 p.m. and Whitewater at 5 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday the Falcons play Platteville at 10:30 a.m. and Stevens Point at noon.

Falcons Dominate Second Day of UWEC Tournament

April 10, 2005

The women's softball team had two impressive wins the second day of the UWEC Tournament. Their first game ended in a 7-0 win against UM-Morris and the Falcons won their second game against Northland College 3-0. The Falcon now have an overall record of 9-15.

In the first game the Falcons made seven runs out of seven hits and played perfect defense with no errors. They made single runs in the second and seventh inning and five runs in the sixth inning. Morris played a sloppy game making four errors and three hits.

In the second inning, the Falcons made one run when Emily Evans hit a single to left field then Michelle Kelly came in to be her pinch runner. Kelly made it to second on a sac bunt by Emily Stahl then made it all the way home when Jessamy Schwartz singled to the shortstop. The shortstop made an error which allowed Schwartz to go to second. The Falcons had a big rally in the sixth where they scored five runs. Breamber Syverson started things off when she was walked to first, then Emily Rodgers made it to first on an error by the cathcher and Syverson scored. Heuser and Evans got the next two outs, Stahl hit a single to right field that scored Rodgers. Schwarz hit a single to center, then james singled to left field hitting in Stahl. After that run, UM-Morris had a pitcher change. Scwartz scored when the catcher made another error, and the final run of the inning came when Leah Vanderploeg singled to center field sending James home. The last run for the Falcons was in the seventh. Syverson singled to the pitcher then made it to third when Rodgers hit to second and where the second baseman made an error. Syverson finally scored on a wild pitch.

Vanderploeg pitched all seven innings and took the win. She allowed only three hits and had nine strike outs and zero walks. Her record is now 4-5.

The Falcons took on Northland College in the second game. The Falcon defense allowed NC one hit and one error. The Falcons made three runs in eight hits and made two errors. The Falcons had single runs in the first, second, and sixth innings.

In the first innng, Syverson started things off with a double down the left field line. Rodgers had a sac bunt that allowed Syverson to get to third. Schwartz then popped up a sac bunt that sent Syverson home. James started things off in the second inning when she made it to first on an error by the third baseman. Kelley came in to pinch run for James. She made it to second by a sac bunt by Heuser. Falck hit a single to left field that put Kelley on third and she made it home on the throw. The final run of the game came at the bottom of the sixth when Schwartz hit a double to left field. Evans hit next, with a single to the shortstop, Madlon pinch ran for Evans. Madlon was called out for leaving early. Schwartz then stole third and made it home when Vanderploeg hit a single to center field.

Ashley Bertrand pitched all seven innings for the Falcons and took the win. She allowed one hit, five walks, and six strike outs. Her record is now 4-6.

The Falcons will play at home at Ramer Field on Tuesday. They will take on UW-La Crosse, the game will begin at 3 p.m.

Falcons Lose First Day at UWEC Invitational

April 9, 2005

The women's softball team played two games the first day of the UW-EC Invitational and weren't able to come up with a win. In the first game, the Falcons lost to Elmhurst College 4-3 and the second game ended in a 4-0 loss to St. Scholastica

The Falcons had seven hits, three runs, and three errors, while Elmhurst had four runs in six hits and only one error. Elmhurst made three runs in the third inning and one in the fourth.

The Falcons started the game well with one hit and one run in the first inning. Jessamy Syverson was walked to first then stole second and a single to center field by Amanda Wojnowiak sent her home. The Falcons had two more hits and one run in the fourth inning. Rodgers stated off the line up with a single to left field, then advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. Rodgers then got to go to third on an illegal pith and she was eventually hit home by Emily Evans who hit a single to right field. The Falcons finale run came in the fifth. Ashley James made it to first on a walk and Sonia Madlon pinch ran for her. Madlon made it to second on a sac bunt from Jamie Falck and a double to left center from Schwartz sent her home.

Ashley Bertrand took the loss for the Falcons, her record is now 3-6. She pitched three and one third innings and allowed five hits, four were earned. She walked two and struck out two. Brittany Rathbun pitched the remaining two and two thirds inings and allowed one hit and no runs, walks or strike outs.

The second game against St. Scholatica ended in a 4-0 loss. St. Scholastica had four runs in six hits and one error. They scored single runs in the first and fourth innings and two runs in the fifth. The Falcons had no errors, but only two hits.

The two Falcons hits came in the fourth inning. Evans hit a double to left field and Vanderploeg hit a single to third base.

Rathbun took the loss for the Falcons, her record is now 1-4. She pitched five innings and allowed five hits and four runs, all were earned. She walked two and strike out one. Vanderploeg pitched the remaining two innings and allowed one hit and no runs, no walks, and struck out four.

The Falcons now have a record of 7-15. On Sunday the Falcons face UM-Morris at 1:30 p.m. and Northland at 3:30 p.m.

Falcons Lose Double Header to St. Mary's

April 7, 2005

The Falcon softball team lost a double header at St. Mary's University on Thursday afternoon. They lost the first game 5-0 and the second 5-4 in nine innings. After those two losses the Falcons record is now at 7-13 and SMU now has a record of 12-6.

Hitting still seems to plague the Falcons. In the first game they had three hits and one error. Hitters for the Falcons were Leah Vanderploeg who singled to center in the second inning, Emily Evans who singled to the short in the third, and Jamie Falck who singled to center. SMU had single runs in the first, third and sixth inning and two runs in the second.

Vanderploeg took the loss for the Falcons, her record is now 3-5. She pitched two innings and allowed four hits, three were earned. She walked two and struck out two. Brittany Rathbun pitched the remaining four innings and allowed five hits, two runs, one as earned.

The second game was a tough battle for both teams. The game went to nine innings, but in the end SMU would come out ahead, 5-4. The Falcons made a big jump early in the game scoring three runs in the first inning. Their last run came in the seventh.

The Falcons had a big rally in the first inning starting when Emily Rodgers walked. Amanda Wojnowiak singled to short and that advanced Rodgers to second. Evans was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases. Then Emily Stahl was walked, letting Rodgers come home. Margo Taylor, pinch hitting for Breamber Syverson, came up with a big hit singling to center field scoring Wojnowiak and Evans.

The final run for the Falcons was in the seventh. Rodgers was hit by a pitch and stole second. After an out, Evans doubled down the left field line scoring Rodgers.

SMU had their runs late in the game. They scored four runs in the sixth inning and one in the bottom of the ninth. The Falcons had four runs and six hits and made only one error. SMU had five runs and 12 hits and made three errors.

Ashley Bertrand pitched the second game for the Falcons and took the loss - her record is now 3-5. She pitched eight innings and allowed six hits and one earned run. She didn't walk a batter and struck out five. Rathbun came in to relieve Bertrand in the sixth and pitched two-thirds of an inning. She allowed six hits and four runs, only one was earned. She walked one. Bertrand reentered the game and went the distance.

The Falcons play next this Saturday and Sunday in the UWEC tournament. They will play Elmhurst at 2 p.m. and St. Scholastica at 4 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday the Falcons face UM-Morris at 1:30 p.m. and Northland at 3:30 p.m.

Falcons Shutout Both Games by UWEC

April 5, 2005

The Falcons lost two 3-0 shutouts against UW-au Claire Wednesday afternoon at Ramer Field. The Falcons came into this game with a record of 7-10 overall, while UWEC was 14-3.

Hitting for the Falcons didn't go well. "When we hit we can beat anyone." said Coach Faye Perkins. "We can't win if we don't hit."

The Falcons had four hits in the first game. Their first hit came in the second inning when Emily Stahl singled to left field. Two more hits came in the third inning. Breamber Syverson made it to first on a single to third base and Amanda Wojnowiak had a single to right field. Their last hit came in the fifth inning when Ashley James singled to left.

The Falcons played tough defense and were able to limit UWEC, who is the eighth ranked team in the nation, to only three runs in both games. UWEC scored three runs on six hits. "Defensivly we played a good game." said Perkins. UWEC had single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.

Leah Vanderploeg pitched six innings and took the loss dropping her record to 3-4. She allowed five hits and three earned runs She struck out three and walked three. Brittany Rathbun pitched one inning and alolwed one hit and struck out two.

The second game was a lot like the first. The Falcons had four hits and only one error and UWEC had five hits, three runs, and no errors. UWEC scored two of their runs in the second inning and one in the sixth. The Falcon hits came fromWojnowiak to right field in the first, James had an infield single in the fifth, Syverson also had an infield single in the sixth, and Emily Evans singled to right in the seventh.

Ashley Bertrad pitched six and one-third innings and took the loss putting her record at 3-4. She allowed five hits and three earned runs. She struck out four and walked three. Rathbun finished the game, pitching the last two-thirds inning and allowing no hits, walks or runs.

Perkins thinks her team, "needs to get mad and play better; they know they can play better than this."

The Falcons now have a record of 7-11 overall and 0-2 in conference. Weather permitting, the Falcons will play their make-up game at St. Mary's on Thursday. The first pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday the Falcons play in the UWEC tournament. The Falcons play Elmurst at 2 p.m. and St. Scholastica at 4 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday the Falcons face UM-Morris at 1:30 p.m. and Northland at 3:30 p.m.

UWRF-UWEC Game Will Be Played Tuesday

April 4, 2005

The Falcon softball team's WIAC doubleheader against UW-Eau Claire will be played on Tuesday at Ramer Field. The games will be the first WIAC games of the season for both teams.

The games were originally scheduled for Wednesday, but with rain in the forecast for Wednesday, the games were moved to Tuesday.

The Falcons enter the game with a 7-9 overall record. Amanda Wojnowiak leads he Falcons in hitting with a .423 average. She leads the team with nine RBIs, 14 runs scored, a .558 slugging percentage, a .423 on-base percentage and five doubles. Leah Vanderploeg is hitting .350 with three doubles, a triple and seven RBIs. Emily Evans is hitting .319 with two doubles and eight RBIs. Brittany Rathbun leads the team with a 1.62 ERA. She has a 1-3 record and has pitched 26 innings. Ashley Bertrand has a 3-3 record and a 2.60 ERA. She has pitched 40.1 innings. Vanderploeg has a 3-3 record and a 3.18 ERA. She has pitched 39.2 innings. The Falcons have a .279 team batting average and opponents are hitting .266. UWRF has a 2.58 team ERA and the opponents are at 2.54.

UWEC enters the game with a 14-3 overall record. The Blugolds have won eight straight games and 12 of their last 13 contests. Steph Farenbaugh leads UWEC in hitting with a .415 average. She has scored 16 runs, has four doubles and 11 RBIs. Casey Leisgang as a .395 average with a team-high 20 run scored. She has two doubles, two triples, three home runs and 11 RBIs. Andrea Neuville has a team leading 1.43 ERA in 37.2 innings pitched. She has a 5-2 record. Mallory McKinney has a 1.96 ERA in 59.2 innings pitched. She has a 7-1 record. Molly Johnson is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 16.2 innings. UWEC has a .279 team batting average and opponets are hitting just .199. The Blugolds have a 1.82 team ERA and the opponents are at 5.01.

Falcons Split in Michigan on Saturday

April 2, 2005

The Falcon softball team finished with another split in two games played in Michigan Saturday afternoon.

The Falcons lost to Case Western, 4-3, but came back to beat Hope, 6-3. On Friday the Falcons beat CW, 3-1. UWRF lost to Hope on the last day of the team's spring trip to Florida, 9-3.

Against Case Western the Falcons scored three runs on six hits while CW scored four runs on 10 hits. Both teams committed one error. CS scored all of its runs in the fourth inning and the Falcons scored all of their runs in the fifth. In the fifth, Leah Vanderploeg led off with a double to center field. After an out, Jessamy Schwartz reached second on an error and Vanderploeg scored. Jamie Falck then doubled to left to score Schwartz. Emily Rodgers followed with another double to left to score Falck. Breamber Syverson then walked, but CW got the next three Falcons out to end the inning. CW's big inning featured four runs on six hits and the bases were left filled. Amanda Wojnowiak finished 2-4 with a double. Emily Stahl also doubled and finished 1-4. Leah Vanderploeg took the loss on the mound. She worked three and two-thirds innings and allowed nine hits. She allowed four earned runs. She walked one and struck out one. Rathbun worked the final three and one-third innings and allowed one hit. She walked two and struck out one.

Against Hope, the Falcons scored six runs on 10 hits and played errorless ball in the field. HC scored three runs on six hits and made one error. UWRF scored four runs in the first and single runs in the fourth and seventh. HC scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth. In the first, Syverson reached first on a fielder's choice and stole second. Wojnowiak singled sending Syverson to third. Wojnowiak then stole second. Emily Evans then singled to score Syverson and Wojnowiak advanced to third. Evans then stole second base and Wojnowiak scored on the throw to second. After the second out, Evans advanced to third on a wild pitch. Vanderploeg then singled to score Evans. Ashley James walked and Vanderploeg went to second. Schwartz doubled to score Vanderploeg. In the fourth, Syverson singled with two outs and stole second. Wojnowiak then doubled her home. In the seventh, Wojnowiak reached first on an error with one out. She stole second and advanced to third on a single by Evans. Michelle Kelley, running for Evans, stole second. Stahl grounded out and Wojnowiak scored on the play. Rogers finished 2-4 and Syverson was 1-3 with two runs scored. Wojnowiak was 2-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Evans was also 2-4 with one RBI and a run scored. Stahl was 1-4, Vanderploeg was 1-4 with a run scored and a RBI and Schwartz was 1-3 with a RBI. Syverson and Wojnowiak both stole two bases. Ashley Bertrand picked up the win on the mound and is now 3-3. She worked five and one-third innings and allowed six hits. She allowed three earned runs. She walked one and struck out four. Rathbun pitched the last one and two-thirds innings and picked up her second save of the season. She faced the minimum of five batters.

UWRF, now 7-9 overall, will open WIAC play on Wednesday when they host UW-Eau Claire at Ramer Field. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

Falcons Split in Michigan

April 1, 2005

The Falcon softball team split in two games played in Michigan on Friday.

The Falcons opend with a 3-1 win over Case Western, but then dropped a 6-3 decision to Calvin.

Against Case Western, the game ended in a 0-0 tie after seven innings and the teams used the international tie breaker rule in the eighth. The rule places a runner at second base with no outs to start the inning. Amanda Wojnowiak was placed at second and Emily Evans started the inning with a single to left and both runners advanced a base on the play. Emily Stahl then singled to right to score Wojnowiak. Evans advanced to third and Stahl went to second on the play. Leah Vanderploeg then singled to center to score both Evans and Stahl. CW scored its run in the eight on a base hit that moved the runner to third and a wild pitch.

The Falcons scored three runs on seven hits and made one error. CW scored one run on three hits and made one error. Evans was 2-4 with a run scored. Stahl was 1-4 with a RBI and a run scored. Vanderploeg was 3-4 with two RBIs. Vanderploeg tripled in the sixth with two outs but the Falcons couldn't get her home. UWRF left 10 runners on base. Breamber Syverson was 1-2 and she stole a base.

Ashley Bertrand picked up the win on the mound. She went the distance and improved her record to 2-3. She allowed three hits and one unearned run. She walked one and struck out five.

The Falcons jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Calvin, but CC scored three runs in the third and fifth innings to get the win. UWRF scored three runs on nine hits and made no errors while CC scored six runs on eight hits and made one error.

UWRF scored all of its runs in the first. Jessamy Schwartz opened the ame with a single to left. Syverson reached first on a bunt single. Wojnowiak then singled to center to load the bases. Evans singled to right to score Schwartz and the bases were still loaded. Stahl reached on a fielder's choice with Syverson getting thrown out at home, but Wojnowiak scored on the play on an error on the first baseman. Vanderploeg then doubled to left to score Evans. CC's Amy Konyndyk hit a three-run homer in the third to tie the game. CC is now 9-3 this year.

Schwartz finished 2-3 with a run scored. Vanderploeg was 2-2 with a RBI. Syverson, Wojnowiak, Evans, Stahl and Jamie Falck had the other Falcon hits.

Vanderploeg started on the mound and worked the first three innings. She allowed four hits and three earned runs. She walked two and struck out one. Brittany Rathbun took the loss and is now 1-3. She worked two innings and also allowed four hits and three earned runs. She walked two and struck out three. Bertrand worked the last inning, didn't allow a hit, and walked one.

UWRF, now 6-8 overall, will play Case Western at 1 p.m. and Hope at 3 p.m. in Holland, Mich.

Falcons Will Host St. Mary's

March 29, 2005

The Falcon softball team's doubleheader scheduled for Wednesday (March 30) at St. Mary's will now be played at Ramer Field. The first pitch is set for 3 p.m.

The Falcons enter the game withi a 5-7 overall record while St. Mary's is 8-4. Both teams recently returned from spring trips - UWRF was in Florida and SMU was in California.

UWRF is led in hitting by freshman Amanda Wojnowiak who has a .472 average. She is the team leader with 17 hits, 10 runs scored, three doubles, a triple and eight RBIs. Emily Stahl is second in hitting with a .360 average. She has scored two runs and has three RBIs. Emily Evans has a .323 average. She has two doubles and six RBIs. Breamber Syverson has a .312 average with four runs scored and two RBIs. Leah Vanderploeg has a 3-2 record on the mound. She has a 2.33 ERA and has pitched 33 innings. She has walked 15 and struck out 28. Ashley Bertrand has a 3.23 ERA and has pitched 26 innings. She has walked 11 and struck out 25. She has a 1-3 record. Brittany Rathbun has a team best 1.11 ERA. She has worked 19 innings and has a 1-2 record. She has walked three and struck out 19. She has one save.

SMU is led in hitting by Mandy Tschernach who has a .428 average. She has three RBIs. Amy Edge leads the Cardinals with 11 RBIs and she has a .324 average. She leads the team with three doubles and four home runs. Kelly Rodgers has a 2.91 ERA and a 3-1 record. She has pitched 21.2 innings, walked five and struck out eight. Jenny Schipp has a 3.22 ERA and a 4-3 record in 36.1 innings. She has walked 18 and struck out 36. The Cardinals are coached Nikki Fennern who played at UWRF from 1994-97. She has a 113-51 record and is in her sixth season.

After Wednesday's games, the Falcons will play Calvin and Case Western on Friday in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Falcons play Calvin at 3 p.m. and Case Western at 5 p.m.

Falcons Lose to Hope, 9-3

March 27, 2005

The Falcon softball team lost a 9-3 decision to Hope College on Saturday morning in Orlando, Fla.

The Falcons scored three runs on seven hits and they made four errors. HC scored nine runs on 11 hits and they made one error. Hope scored two runs in the first and third innings, single runs in the fourth and fifth and three in the sixth. UWRF scored runs in the first, third and seventh innings.

Breamber Syverson was 2-3 at the plate for the Falcons with a run scored and a RBI. Amanda Wojnowiak was 2-4 with a run scored and one RBI. Brittany Rathbun took the loss in relief and is now 1-1 this year. She pitched three and one-third innings. She allowed seven hits and seven runs - only one was earned. She walked one and struck out three. Leah Vanderploeg started on the mound and pitched the first two innings. She reentered the game later and pitched three and two-thirds total innings. She allowed four hits and two earned runs. She walked one and struck out three.

The Falcons, now 5-7 overall, will next play at St. Mary's on Wednesday with action starting at 3 p.m.

Falcons Finish Strong in Florida

March 25, 2005

The women’s softball team won three of four games played on Thursday and Friday at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando Fla.

On Thursday the Falcons beat Eastern Connecticut 4-2 and Millikin 8-2. On Friday the Falcons lost to Ramapo 3-2 in eight innings but came back to beat Allegheny 8-0 in six innings.

In the win over EC the Falcons scored four runs on eight hits and made one error. EC scored two runs on four hits and made no errors. RF scored one run in the third and three in the sixth. EC scored its two runs in the fourth. Amanda Wojnowiak led the Falcons at the plate going 3-3, including a triple, and one RBI. She also scored once. Breamber Syverson was 2-3 and she scored a run. Jessamy Schwartz was 1-2 with two RBIs. Leah Vanderploeg got the win on the mound. She pitched four innings and allowed two runs, one was earned. She allowed four hits, walked one and struck out four. Brittany Rathbun picked up a save. She worked three innings and did not allow a hit. She walked one and struck out six.

In the win over Millikin the Falcons scored eight runs on 11 hits and committed two errors. MU scored two runs on five hits and committed two errors. RF scored single runs in the first, fifth and seventh innings. They scored twice in the third and three times in the sixth. MU scored twice in the third. Wojnowiak was 2-4 with one RBI and she scored four times. Emily Stahl was 3-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Emily Evans was 2-2 with two RBIs. Michelle Heuser was 1-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Ashley Bertrand picked up the win. She worked five innings, allowed four hits and two runs, one was earned. She walked two and struck out seven. Rathbun worked the final two innings and allowed just one hit.

On Friday against Ramapo RF scored two runs on seven hits and made two errors. RC scored three runs on seven hits and made one error. RF scored single runs in the first and seventh innings. Ramapo scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth. The winning run in the eighth was scored on a wild pitch. Severson was 2-3 with an RBI. Vanderploeg was 2-2 and scored a run. Bertrand started and pitched four and two thirds innings. She allowed five hits and allowed one unearned run while striking out three. Rathbun took the loss in relief. She worked two and two thirds innings allowing two hits. She allowed two runs, one was earned, and she struck out two.

Against Allegheny, RF scored eight runs on 13 hits and made one error. Allegheny was held scoreless and they had just one hit. The Falcons scored six runs in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and sixth. Vanderploeg pitched a one hitter for the win. She struck out seven and did not walk a batter. The only hit came with two outs in the sixth inning. Wojnowiak was 3-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Vanderploeg was 2-3 with a run scored and a RBI. Stahl was 2-4 with a run scored. Sonia Madlon was 3-3 with a RBI and run scored. The 13 hits for RF is a season high.

Falcons Lose One and Win One on Wednesday in Florida

March 23, 2005

The women’s softball team split in two games played at the Rebel Spring Games on Wednesday in Orlando, Fla.

Carthage defeated the Falcons, 3-1, in the first game. RF came back in the second game to defeat Millikin 2-1.

In the first game, CC scored three runs on nine hits and committed one error and UWRF scored one run on four hits and made one error. The Falcons scored thier run in the fourth inning. With one out Leah Vanderploeg reached first on an error. She scored when Amanda Wojnowiak doubled to left center. CC scored two runs in the first and one in the fifth. Ashley Bertrand took the loss on the mound. She worked five and two thirds innings allowing nine hits, three runs and two were earned. She struck out four and walked four. Brittany Rathbun retired the only batter she faced.

In the second game the Falcons scored two runs on 11 hits and made one error. Millikin scored one run on seven hits and had no errors. UWRF scored single runs in the third and fifth innings and Millikin scored its run in the fifth. In the third Jessamy Schwartz led off with a single and was sacraficed to second by Ashley James. She scored when Emily Evans singled. In the fifth Wojnowiak singled and scored when Vanderploeg doubled to center. Schwartz was 2-4 with a run scored. Wojnowiak was 2-3 including a double and she scored a run. Vanderploeg was 2-3 including a double and a RBI. Evans was 1-1, with a double and one RBI. Emily Stahl was 2-3, Emily Rodgers was 1-2 and James was 1-3. Vanderploeg started and pitched five innings allowing seven hits and one earned run. She walked two, struck out two and is now 2-2 this year. Rathbun pitched the final two innings picking up her first save of the season - she did not allow a base runner while striking out three.

The Falcons, now 2-5 overall, play Eastern Connecticut and have another game with Millikin on Thursday.

Falcons Pick Up First Win of the Season

March 21, 2005

The women’s softball team won its first game of the season on Monday at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla.

The Falcons defeated Augsburg, 9-1, in five innings. A game scheduled against Western Connecticut later in the day was cancelled due to rain.

The Falcons scored nine runs on 11 hits and made one error. The nine runs and 11 hits are season highs for River Falls. AC scored one run on three hits while making three errors. The Falcons scored one run in the first inning and exploded for eight runs in the fifth. AC scored its only run in the fifth. Jessamy Schwartz led the Falcons at the plate going 3-4 with two RBIs. She scored two runs. Emily Rodgers was 2-3 and she scored twice. Amanda Wojnowiak was 1-3 with two RBIs and she scored once. Ashley James and Breamber Syverson were both 1-2 and each scored once. James also knocked in one run. Michelle Heuser and Leah Vanderploeg were both 1-3 with a run scored and one RBI. Carolyn Guisinger was 1-2. Vanderploeg went the distance on the mound. In five innings she allowed three hits and one earned run. She struck out five and walked two.

The Falcons, now 1-4 overall, play again on Wednesday against Carthage at 4:10 p.m. and again against Millikin at 6 p.m.

Falcons Drop Two in Florida

March 20, 2005

The women’s softball team scored only one run in two games in Florida on Sunday.

The Falcons opened with a 2-1 loss to Westminister and a 4-0 loss to Fontbonne.

In the first game UWRF scored one run on only three hits. WC scored two runs on just four hits. Neither team committed an error. The Falcons scored thier run in the first inning. Breamber Syverson reached first on an infield single. She was sacrifived to second by Ashley James. She scored when Emily Evans doubled to center. WC scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to get the win. The only other Falcon hit was by Emily Rodgers. Leah Vanderploeg took the loss on the mound. She went the distance and allowed two earned runs. She walked five and struck out six.

In the loss to Fontbonne the Falcons were held scoreless and had just three hits. They commited four errors. FC scored four runs on 11 hits and made two errors. FC scored single runs in the first and sixth innings and two in the second. Jessamy Schwartz was 1-2 at the plate, and Michelle Heuser and James were both 1-3. Ashley Bertrand took the loss on the mound. She pitched five innnigs and allowed nine hits. She allowed three runs, two were earned. She struck out five and didn't walk a batter. Brittany Rathbun worked the final inning and allowed two hits. She allowed one earned run and struck out one.

The Falcons, now 0-4, play Augsburg and Western Connecticut State on Monday in Florida.

Falcons Lose Opener to St. Scholastica

March 11, 2005

The women’s softball team started their season against St. Scholastica in a double header at the Rosemount Dome Friday night.

They lost the first game 6-0 and the second game 8-0. “It’s a rough way to start the season,” commented Coach Faye Perkins.

In the first game, the Falcons had only one hit and three errors while St. Scholastica had 10 hits and three errors. The only hit for the Falcons came from Brittany Rathbun in the bottom of the fourth inning when she doubled to right center. St. Scholatica scored one run in the second and fourth innings and four innings in the third. Falcon pitcher Leah Vanderploeg started on the mound and took the loss. She worked two and one-third innings. She allowed six hits and four earned runs. She walked four and struck out one. Rathbun worked the final four and two-thirds innings. She allowed four hits. She allowed two runs one was earned. She walked one and struck out four.

In the second game, the Falcons had five hits and four errors. St. Scholatica scored eight runs on 12 hits and made only one error. St. Scholastica had one run in the first and fourth innings, two runs in the third and four in the sixth. Third baseman Emily Evens had the most hits for the Falcons with two. Her first hit was in the first inning, a single to center field and the other was a line drive double down the left field in the fourth. Emily Stahl hit a single to center field in the third inning and Breamber Syverson had a single in the fifth inning. Ashley Bertrand pitched for the Falcons. She allowed eight runs and seven earned runs. She walked five and struck out six.

Coach Perkins knows her team will need to work harder to be competitive, “This game showed us what we need to work on. We need to work hard to get to where we need to be to be competitive in the WIAC.”

The Falcons will play 10 games at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla., from March 20-25.

Falcons Open Season on Friday

March 7, 2005

The 2005 Falcon softball team will look to get back on the winning track with their strength and experience. They have 12 returning players and a few, but crucial, gaps left from last year's team.

Their strength begins at the very top with Coach Faye Perkins who is the winningest coach in the WIAC with 313. It'll be Perkins 16th season with the Falcons of which she has earned six first place finishes in the WIAC.

Perkins believes her team's core strength lies in its ability to work as a team. "One of our strongest points is we get along well together. If you have exceptionally talented athletes, but they don't get along together, then it doesn't matter."

The biggest return of players is in the outfield where all three positions are filled with letter winners.
Emily Rodgers, who plays in right, brings an impressive batting average along with her experience . She finished tied for second last season with a .321 batting average. She was second in hits with 42 and stole 10 bases. She also scored 19 runs and had 17 RBIs. Jamie Falck, in center, played in 35 games and had a .150 average. In left, Michelle Heuser, played in 37 games and finished with a .255 average. She had one double, seven RBIs and three stolen bases.

The infield looks equally as strong with second base and catcher being the only positions with new faces. Sophomore Breamber Syverson will be taking over at second. Perkins said she is, "doing a nice job." Syverson tied for second in hitting in 2004 with a .321 average and stole 11 bases. Syverson will probably take over as the lead off hitter.

Playing in first base is junior Carolyn Guisinger. She finished the 2004 season with a .225 batting average and a .970 fielding percentage. She had four doubles and eight RBIs. Two other players looking to fill in at first are senior Emily Stahl and freshman Amanda Peters. Overall Perkins believes, "first base is going to be very solid."

Returning shortstop Jessamy Schwartz is a junior who started last year. She finished with a .302 batting average and led the team with 24 RBIs and scored 18 runs. Perkins feels confident with Schwartz and said she was, "an outstanding player on the team the last two years."

Third baseman Emily Evans, a senior, led the Falcons with three home runs and had 17 RBIs. For returning players, Evans has the highest slugging percentage - .409 - and she earned honorable mention to the 2004 All-WIAC team.

Perkins knows the gaps left in her team, but she has the players to fill them. "The three holes from last year are catcher, pitcher and second and I think we have some really good people to come in and fill up those holes."

Perkins' main focus on the pitching situation is experience. "The thing that I'm worried about is the lack of experience on the mound."

Senior Leah Vanderploeg returns with the most pitching experience on the team and has had, "three strong years ," according to Perkins. Vanderploeg earned honorable mention to the 2004 All-WIAC team. She led the 2004 Falcons with a 2.44 ERA and finished with a 10-8 record. She threw six shutouts and led the Falcons with 140 1/3 innings pitched. She finished third in the WIAC in innings pitched and in strike outs (113).

Back up pitchers include two freshmen, Ashley Bertrand and Brittany Rathbun. Evans could also help.

Sophomore Margo Taylor will be taking over at catcher. In 2004 she was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and was named an AFCA Scholar-Athlete. Other potential catchers include freshmen Ashley James and Sonya Madlon.

Anna Poulter has graduated after leading the team in hitting (.370) and stolen bases (53). She set UWRF and WIAC records for stolen bases in a season. "She'll be tough to replace," commented Perkins. Also graduated were pitcher Devanie Bigalk and Melissa Turbak, who played second base.

The Falcons will play their first game against St. Scholastica at the Rosemount Dome on Friday starting at 4 p.m.