The Buena Vista softball team used a big six-run sixth inning in its opener against UW-LaCrosse en route to a 12-8 win before suffering a tough 7-3 setback in game two against Gustavus Adolphus.

In the opener, each team scored twice in the first inning, and the game was back-and-forth until BVU broke things open with the big sixth inning.  Autumn Boland capped-off the big frame with a two-run home run to make it an 11-7 contest.  After UW-LaCrosse got a run back in the bottom half to make it a three-run game, Cheyanne Boland gave the Beavers that four-run cushion right back with a home run in the seventh.

BVU pounded out 18 hits in the contest, including five four extra-bases.  Cheyanne Boland went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three runs scored.  Marissa Schmidt doubled twice and led the charge with a four-hit effort while driving in three.  Keely Bycroft added three hits and two runs scored.  The first four hitters in the BVU line-up combined to go 12-for-19 in the contest with four extra-base knocks.

Jenna Falline got the start and pitched the first four innings before Bycroft came on in releif.  Falline later came back into the contest in the sixth and got the final two outs before working around a two-out single in the seventh en route to her first save of the year.  Bycroft picked up the win in relief as she allowed just one run on three  hits while striking out two.  Falline was charged with seven runs (three earned) on eight hits, while striking out four.

Autumn Boland put BVU in front 1-0 in the second of game two with an RBI double, but Gustavus took charge with six runs in the third to take a 6-1 lead.  BVU got two of those runs back in the bottom half to get within 6-3, but the Gusties added a late run and held off a late threat from the Beavers.

Cheyanne Boland turned in two more hits for BVU and is now batting a team-best .444 on the year.  Jeanne Bramhall's two-run single in third gives her 10 RBI on the year. 

Buena Vista is now 11-8 on the year and will play again on Sunday against William Penn University at 12:00pm before wrapping up play against Washington Univ. (Mo.) at 2:00pm.