Titans' Home Opener Is A Split With Falcons

Addison Brickson, Kaitlyn Krol and Claire Petrus each hit home runs as the UW-Oshkosh softball team split a home-opening doubleheader against UW-River Falls on Wednesday (April 25) at the UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.

UW-Oshkosh (16-9, 3-3 WIAC) suffered an 8-4 setback in the first game before defeating the Falcons, 10-2 in six innings, during the nightcap. The Titans are now fifth in the conference standings while UW-River Falls (18-10, 3-5 WIAC) is sixth.

Krol finished the day 6-for-7, including a home run and three runs batted in during the second contest. Erika Berry added four total hits and two RBIs for the Titans.

In the second game, UW-Oshkosh jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings on the way to beating UW-River Falls by the eight-run rule for the first time since a 9-1 victory May 4, 2008.

Leading 6-2 heading into the home half of the sixth inning, the Titans walked off with the win as six straight batters reached base after one out. Krol plated the Titans' seventh run with a single that scored Tanya Hammitt. Emma Fionda followed with a single to load the bases before UW-Oshkosh Natalie Dudek singled home a run, Rachel Ashauer walked to bring home the ninth run and Jordan Manthei was hit by a pitch to invoke the eight-run rule.

Bailey Smaney (5-2) earned the complete-game win, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. She matched her career high with seven strikeouts and did not issue a walk. Each of Smaney's last four outs were via strikeouts.

Krol had a career-high four hits, including her second home run of the season. Krol's seventh career home run, which landed well beyond the right-field wall, provided the Titans a 6-1 advantage in the fourth inning. Krol also provided a run-scoring single in the second frame.

Petrus also homered in the nightcap, launching a solo shot to right field during the third frame for a 5-1 lead. The home run was the fourth of Petrus' career.

Erika Berry went 3-for-4 for the Titans, who also received two of their 12 hits from Dudek.

UW-Oshkosh opened the scoring on a base-loaded walk from Brickson in the bottom of the first inning. Berry smacked a two-run double in the second frame and came around to score on Krol's single.

UW-River Falls cut its deficit to 4-1 with an unearned run in the third inning. The Falcons later pulled within 6-2 on a run-scoring single from Aiyana Ledwein during the sixth frame. Ledwein had two hits to pace the Falcons.

Falcons starting pitcher Payton Speckel suffered the loss, yielding four runs on five hits and three runs across 1.1 innings.

In Wednesday's first game, UW-Oshkosh rallied to tie the score at 3 with a three-run fourth inning, but the Falcons answered with a run in the fifth frame and four more during the sixth.

The Falcons outhit the Titans, 12-7, as Lexi Dupee and Noelle Senour collected three hits apiece. Senour gave UW-River Falls the good for good with an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Shannan Borchardt's solo home run provided the Falcons a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second inning. UW-River Falls extended its lead to 3-0 with run-scoring singles by Dupee and Senour.

UW-Oshkosh's three-run fourth inning featured back-to-back RBI triples by Amanda McIlhany and Petrus followed by and a squeeze bunt from Abby Menting.

The Falcons' Kaia Dorn laced a two-run double for an 7-3 lead and came in to score on a two-out throwing error.

Brickson capped the scoring with a solo home run – the first of her career – in the bottom of the seventh inning.

UW-River Falls relief pitcher Maddie Studnicka (3-1) was credited with the win after holding the Titans to one run on two hits over the final 3.2 innings.

Titans reliever Natalie Dillon (1-1) suffered the loss, ceding three runs on three hits in one inning of work.

UW-River Falls entered Wednesday leading the WIAC with 6.42 runs per game. UW-Oshkosh ranked eighth in the NCAA Division III in doubles per game (2.35) and double plays turned per contest (0.57) while listing 10th in triples per game (0.57). The Titans registered one double, two triples, three home runs and turned two double plays against the Falcons.

UW-Oshkosh remains at home to host UW-Stout for a doubleheader Friday (April 27) at the UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.