MARQUETTE, Mich. (SabreAthletics.com) – The Marian University softball team played two tightly-contested games against non-conference opponents, but fell short of a victory as UW-River Falls came away with a 2-1 victory prior to tournament host Finlandia scoring nine unanswered runs in a 14-5 win at the Superior Dome, this afternoon, Feb. 24.

UW-River Falls used stellar pitching to upend the Sabres. An Emily Gorges home run in the sixth was enough to cut the deficit in half, but it was also the final hit of the game for Marian. In game two, Finlandia ran its record to 6-0 and answered a five-run comeback with nine unanswered runs en route to the win.

Brie Hechimovich, Amber Johnson and Gorges all went deep today to run the Sabre home run total to eight already this season. Marian had four players reach multiple hits on the day, including Tana Vanden Heuvel, who went 3-for-7.

In game one, Gorges went the distance in the circle, keeping the Sabre in it from start to finish. She allowed just one hit over the first four innings and bailed her team out of a first inning jam, holding the Falcons scoreless despite back-to-back errors to lead off the game, as well as a walk and a hit later on.

It wasn't until the fifth inning that either team cracked the scoreboard when UW-River Falls put together a two-out rally with three straight hits, which led to two runs.

Gorges then homered with one out in the sixth, but the Sabres went quiet the rest of the way, falling 2-1.

In game two, a slow start put the Sabres in a 5-0 hole against Finlandia. Four runs came in the very first inning. Two of them were unearned due to a costly fielding error.

In the third inning, Hechimovich connected on a one out homer, followed by two straight hits and a sacrifice fly by Emilie Jansen. A Gabby D'Oronzo walk then led to a Johnson three-run homer to tie the game.

The tournament hosts squashed any momentum the Sabre may have had with two runs in the fourth and seven more in the fifth.

Alyson Herma spelled Miranda Brew in the circle for Finlandia and shut the Sabres down the rest of the way, allowing just two hits over the final two frames as the game ended after five innings due to the run-limit rule.

The young Marian lineup, which featured as many as seven freshmen, battled tough in coming from behind in two of the three games it trailed.

The Sabres will now try to work out some of the kinks as they prepare for their annual spring trip to Tucson, Ariz., which begins March 10, against St. Mary's (Minn.).