ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team kicks off its 2014 seasons at the Rochester Dome, as the Cardinals square off against UW-River Falls in a pair of nonconference games. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (2013: 18-15 Overall) vs. UW-River Falls Falcons (2013: 21-16 overall)

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Last Action:
Wednesday's nonconference doubleheader against UW-River Falls is the 2014 season-opener for both teams.

SMU vs. UW-River Falls — A Year Ago:
March 17, 2013: The Cardinals scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning and held off a seventh-inning Falcon threat to beat UW-River Falls 4-3 in the opener. In the nightcap, it was the Falcons who used a big inning to break open a tight contest, as UW-River Falls erupted for nine runs in the top of the fifth, turning a one-run game into an 11-1 Falcon victory at the Rochester Dome in Rochester, Minn.

Up Next:
The Cardinals head to Clermont, Fla., for their 10-game spring trip this weekend. SMU kicks off play against Susquehanna University and Muhlenberg College on Saturday. … UW-River Falls heads to the Rosemount Dome in Rosemount, Minn., on Saturday for a nonconference doubleheader against St. Thomas.

Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2014 Roster | 2014 Statistics | 2014 Schedule
The Cardinals are coming off an 18-15 season and their third straight Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament appearance a year ago. … The Cardinals will square off against four teams that are ranked in the NFCA Preseason Poll — No. 7 Luther, No. 11 St. Thomas, No. 16 Lebanon Valley and No. 24 Coe. … The Cardinals won four games by the eight-run rule a year ago — with all four coming in the first game of a doubleheader. … Thirteen of SMU's 18 wins in 2013 came during the Cardinals' season-high five-game winning streaks and a pair of four-game runs. … Nat Boissiere (Plymouth, Minn.) closed out 2013 with team-best .455 batting average, while Anna Ramboldt (Goodhue, Minn. / .398), Alex Raske (Chicago, Ill. / .393), Paige Carter (Rosemount, Minn. / .391), Hailey Ohl (Bloomington, Minn. / .371) and Kristen Thelen (Rochester, Minn. / .319) also closed out the year hitting above .300. … Raske was the team-leader in home runs (6), RBIs (36), total bases (68) and slugging percentage (.636). … Thelen accounted for two of the team's four triples. … Carter, who started every game during her four-year collegiate career — a span of 151 straight starts — scored a team-best 33 runs. … Ohl led the team with four, four-hit games last season — including back-to-back 4-for-4 performances during the last week of the regular season. … Carter finished with a team-leading seven three-hit games, while Raske boasted a team-best 16 multiple-hit games. … SMU had six players with 30 or more hits — Boissiere (46), Ohl (43), Carter (43), Raske (42), Thelen (38) and Ramboldt (37). … Ramboldt closed out the season riding a team-best 17-game hitting streak — not to mention having reached base safely in 26 straight games. … SMU closed out 2013 with 15 home runs, led by Raske, who finished the year with a team- and career-best six home runs — while also launching her first career grand slam against Bethel on April 2. … Eight of the Cardinals' 15 home runs came from players hitting their first collegiate home runs this season. Ohl, Ramboldt, Thelen, Boissiere and senior Julie Bartosz (Mokena, Ill.) all launched collegiate HR No. 1 this season. … The Cardinals swiped 17 bases in 21 attempts this season, with Ohl accounting for 10 of those 17 steals. … Kayla Peterson (Lewiston, Minn.) tossed 14 complete games, while compiling a 3.61 ERA and a 12-11 record in 153.1 innings in her senior season a year ago. … Carter (6-4, 4.18 ERA) made 18 appearances — including 13 in relief and owned SMU's two saves. … SMU outscored its opponents 25-12 in the second inning. … SMU was 14-6 when scoring first and 14-0 when outhitting its opponent. … The Cardinals scored 10 or more runs six times last season — including 13 runs in both of its wins vs. Augsburg on March 28, and 10 runs in both of its wins vs. Bethel on April 2. …  SMU's 13-run efforts vs. Augsburg on March 28 were not only a season high, but also the most runs scored since the Cardinals plated 14 in a 14-1 win over Carleton on May 3, 2011. … SMU's sweep of Bethel on April 2 pushed its conference record to 4-0, marking the first time since 1999 that the Cardinals opened MIAC play with four straight wins. SMU won its first 16 conference games in 1999.

Scouting The UW-River Falls Falcons:
2014 Roster | 2014 Statistics | 2014 Schedule
The Falcon's doubleheader against Saint Mary's is the first of eight "Dome" games for the Falcons to kick off the 2014 season. UWRF is also scheduled to play ST. Thomas (twice), Buena Vista (twice), Loras and Luther in the Rosemount Dome before heading to Florida for their 10-game spring trip beginning March 16. … The Falcons open 2014 returning two of their three 2013 NFCA All-Region Selections — Abbie Morris was a first team pick, while Sarah Bohlen was a second-teamer. … Morris hit a team-best .447 — the fifth-highest single-season batting average in program history. … Morris led the team in on-base percentage (.495), while adding 22 runs, eight doubles, six home runs, 30 RBIs and a .723 slugging percentage. … Bohlen, who finished third on team in batting average at .363, closed out 2013 with team highs in home runs (11), RBIs (35) and slugging percentage (.726). … Hayley Buchanan owned a team-best 21 multiple-hit games — including eight, three-hit performances — and put together the Falcons' longest hitting streak and 12 straight games. … Ashley Goettl led the Falcons with 10 multiple-RBI contests. … Morris was also the team's top pitcher in 2013, finishing 8-3 on the mound with a team-best 2.81 ERA and 62 strikeouts. … Morris also led the team in innings pitched with 84.2 IP, while also tossing four complete games. … The Falcons scored six or more runs in 14 of their 21 wins a year ago. On the flip side, UWRF was held to two runs or less in nine of its 16 losses. … UW-River Falls finished 13-3 when scoring in the first inning last season. … The Falcons played just two home games last season — losing both — while going 3-7 on the road and 18-7 on neutral-site fields.