AUSTIN EDITION Blue Devils win pair, now 8-0 in league play

April 15, 2002 at 4:00 AM

Riverland improved its record to 8-0 in MCCC South Division play with a doubleheader sweep Saturday of Minnesota West in junior college softball.

The Blue Devils (8-2 overall) pulled out 4-3 and 15-11 victories. Riverland rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to capture the opener.

"It was a very nice comeback win," said Riverland coach Lisa Quednow-Bicker. "It was good to have one of those."

The Blue Devils trailed 3-0 heading into the final inning. Erin Evans singled in Riverland's first run, and Jessica Peck hit a two-run triple to tie the score. Peck, who was 3-for-4 with a double, then scored the winning run on an error. Missy Avery, who was 2-for-4, and Melanie Gabrielson both had hits and scored in the inning.

Sherry Hanson picked up the win for Riverland. She pitched a seven-hitter, struck out four and walked two. Hanson also got the win in relief in the nightcap with a little more than an inning of work. She came in and shut down Minnesota West when they had scored six times in the sixth to tie the score 11-11.

"We really had some errors to let them get back in it," Quednow-Bicker said.

Riverland came right back with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win. Nicole Emiliusen had a two-run single to put the Blue Devils ahead 13-11.

Gabrielson finished 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. She hit a two-run double in the third inning. Avery hit a solo homer in the third.

Peck was 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Riverland, which scored seven times in the first inning.

Riverland travels to Mankato on Tuesday to face Bethany Lutheran in a doubleheader at 3:30 p.m.

First Game

RIVERLAND 4, minnesota west 3

Minnesota West 201 000 0 --3 7 2

; Riverland 000 000 4 --4 7 3

; Erin Weber and Cabatcheller. Peck and Hanson.

2B -- RIV, Peck. 3B -- RIV, Peck.

Second Game

RIVERLAND 15, MINNESOTA WEST 11

Minnesota West 001 046 0 --11 9 5

; Riverland 704 004 x --15 9 5

; Weber and Cabatcheller. Cummins and Kelsey, Hanson (6).

2B -- RIV, Gabrielson. HR -- RIV, Avery.

Rochester splits

Rochester Community and Technical College split a doubleheader 10-4 and 10-3 Saturday at home with Ridgewater in Minnesota Community College Conference softball. The split followed a sweep of Minnesota West on Friday by 8-2 and 5-3.

he Yellowjackets (6-12, 5-3 MCCC) play Ridgewater at Willmar on Friday, then Central Lakes in Brainerd on Saturday.

(Saturday)

Game 1

Ridgewater 000 103 0 -- 4 9 2

; RCTC 402 004 x -- 10 13 4

; Knaungh and Abbas; Cahoon and LaDue.

2B -- Ridgewater, Neprman, Abbas; Rochester, Berg. HR -- Cahoon, Vaughn.

Game 2

Ridgewater 007 001 2 -- 10 13 3

; RCTC 002 001 0 -- 3 7 3

; Vickse and Nelson; Pastwa, Krom (4) and Vaughn.

2B -- Ridgewater, Nelson; Rochester, Berg.