The Riverland softball team took sole possession of first place in the MCAC Southern Division when it swept Rochester Community and Technical College (21-10 overall, 13-2 MCAC South) by scores of 8-0 and 4-3 in Riverland Tuesday.

The Blue Devils (21-8 overall, 17-1 MCAC South) won the nightcap when Austin grad Jessica Wilde drove a single up the middle with two outs to score the winning run. RCC’s late rally started with two outs, when Chelsey Waltz, Mandy May, and Holly Waltz all reached base and Laura Meyer singled in a run to tie the game.

The No. 10 ranked nationally ranked Blue Devils had been taking pitches in the seventh, but RCC head coach Dan Swift changed his strategy with Wilde at the plate.

“In the last inning we were taking a strike, but in that situation I gave Jessica the green light,” Swift said. “She actually took the first strike. Then on the second pitch she hit a line drive up the middle.”

RCC pitcher and Austin grad Autumn Jurgensen pitched both games while allowing just nine hits against a tough RCTC lineup.

“RCTC hit it hard against Autumn, but she never got rattled,” Swift said.

RCTC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 5 4

RCC 0 0 0 1 5 2 X — 8 12 0

RCC pitching: Autumn Jurgensen (W), 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 K

RCC hitting: Holly Waltz, 1-for-4, R; Laura Meyer, 3-for-4, 2 R; Jessica Wilde, 2-for-4, RBI, 2 R; Liz Triplett, 2-for-4, 3 RBIs, R; Thenedra Corey, 1-for-2, RBI; Mandy May, 1-for-2, R, BB

RCTC 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 3 4 3

RCC 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 — 4 7 1

RCC pitching: Jurgensen (W), 7 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 K

RCC hitting: Laura Meyer, 2-for-3, RBI, BB; Jessica Wilde, 2-for-4, RBI; Justine Sanvick, 1-for-3, double, R; Chelsy Swanson, 1-for-3, double, RBI, R; Chelsey Waltz, 1-for-3, R; Mandy May, 1-for-3, R