By Scott A. Kolb

Post-Bulletin, Austin MN 

Solid pitching led the Riverland softball team to its first two wins of the season in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, South Division.

The Lady Blue Devils of Riverland, ranked eighth in the country in the latest NJCAA, Division III poll, were coming off a pair of losses on Thursday against Rochester, the No. 2 ranked team in the country.

This made the home opener on Friday afternoon against Fergus Falls even more important in the division race. RCTC is leading the division with a perfect record, so Riverland couldn't afford any more losses in the MCAC South.

Mound mastery

Kaylee Newman and Anna Breault made the sure the losing streak was history with a pair of pitching gems in Friday's doubleheader sweep of the Fergus Falls Spartans. Both games ended in five innings via the eight-run rule.

Newman didn't allow an earned run in the first game of the day at the Riverland Field. The offense scored early and often as the Lady Devils rolled to a 10-2 win in the opener.

Breault then fired five shutout innings in the late game for a 9-0 win and the sweep of the visiting Lady Spartans.

"Our pitchers threw strikes, and that was just what the doctor ordered," Riverland coach Dave Lillemon said. "You have to protect your home field and after the losses in Rochester, these were two big division wins."

Fast start

Four runs in the bottom of the first inning started the hitting fun for the Lady Devils in the opening game. This was a total team effort with nine hits by nine different players in the win.

Walks by the Fergus Falls pitcher allowed the Lady Devils to load the bases with one out in their initial rally. Liz Triplett then got the scoring started with an RBI single.

The bases were still loaded. Thenedra Corey then laid down a bunt, but the relay beat the Riverland runner home and it was still only a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Chelsey Swanson singled to clear the bases.

A pair of runners came home on Swanson's base hit, then the Fergus Falls defense gave another to Riverland. The throw home sailed over the catcher's head and Corey raced in from third base with the fourth run of the rally.

The offense added another run in the second and four more in the third inning to break the game open. Laura Meyer had a double in the opener to keep her streak alive of getting a hit in every game so far on the season.

Although the defense committed a couple of errors to allow Northland to score in the top of the fourth, Newman remained firmly in control.

"Everybody got some action, and the whole team contributed to the hitting attack," Lillemon said. "The important thing was we continued to play hard with a big lead and put them away. Kaylee stayed ahead in the counts, and when your pitcher throws strikes it gives the team a chance to win."

Offensive show

Riverland batted around in the bottom of the first in the late game and scored four runs.

This was all the run support Breault would need in tossing the shutout. She allowed only two hits and didn't walk anybody to complete the sweep.

The offense poured it on with another run in the second and three more in the bottom of the third.

Meyer scored twice and kept her hitting streak alive. The Lady Devils took advantage of five walks and three errors by the Spartans.

"We put the pedal down and kept the offense rolling in the late game," Lillemon said. "Our goal is to keep improving each time out. Being ranked in the top 10 nationally, shows we're getting some recognition around the conference."

Riverland (8-5, 2-2 MCAC South) plays a doubleheader today at home against Ridgewater.

RIVERLAND 10, FERGUS FALLS 2

First game

Fergus Falls 000 20 -- 2 4 4

Riverland 414 1x -- 10 9 2

Riverland: Laura Meyer 1-2, walk, 2B, R; Danielle Lynch 1-2, walk, SB, R, RBI; Jill Radke 1-2, walk, SB; Carmen Smith 0-2, walk, R; Liz Triplett 1-2, walk, 2 R, RBI; Thenedra Corey 1-2, SB, 2 R, RBI; Chelsey Swanson 1-3, 2B, 2 RBIs; Mandy May 1-2, 2 SB, 2 R; Christy Van Dyke 1-2, R, RBI; Andrea Exline 1-1, RBI. WP: Kaylee Newman 5 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K.

RIVERLAND 9, FERGUS FALLS 0

Second game

Fergus Falls 000 00 -- 0 2 3

Riverland 423 0x -- 9 7 1

Riverland: Meyer 1-3, SB, 2 R; Justine Sanvick 2-3, SB, 2B, 2 R; Radke 1-2, walk, SB, 2B, 2 R, RBI; Triplett 1-3, RBI; Smith 1-2, R, RBI; Swanson 1-2, 3 SB; Van Dyke 0-0, 2 walks, SB, run; May 0-0, 2 walks, R. WP: Anna Breault 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K.