FERGUS FALLS — Austin grad Sara Sundberg picked up her first pitching win in her softball career as she led the Blue Devils to a 5-3 win in the opener of a doubleheader over Fergus Falls on the road Saturday.

Sundberg and Riverland lost the nightcap 8-5, but she was solid in the first game as she allowed just one earned run and struck out seven.

“She’s been making marvelous strides,” RCC head coach Al Eckmann said of Sundberg, who never had any significant pitching time in her softball career at Austin High School. “She’s learning to pitch to the spots and she’s got a real nice drop ball. She’s doing really well.”

Morgan Herda drilled a two-run homer, her first college homerun, in the opener for RCC (1-11 overall, 1-1 MCAC South).

The Blue Devils led the second game 5-0 after two innings, but couldn’t hold on for the sweep.

“It’s too bad we let that lead slip, but we’re very happy to get our first our win,” Eckmann said. “We had been playing a lot of bigger schools and this is our first game against someone comparable to us. We’ve been getting better.”

RCC 5, Fergus Falls 3

RCC pitching: Sara Sundberg (W), 7 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 ER, 1 ER, 7 K

RCC hitting: Whitney Bamrick, 2-for-4; Sundberg, 1-for-4; Morgan Herda, 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs; Rachel Donovan, 1 hit

FF 8, RCC 5

RCC pitching: Sundberg (L), 7 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 8 R, 6 ER, 2 K

RCC hitting: Bamrick, 2 hits; Sundberg, 1 hit; Herda, 1 hit; Robin Arjes, 2 hits; Kim Craig, 2 hits