Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
Backed by solid pitching, the Augustana softball team earned a 3-2 and 10-0 win over Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe Upper Iowa University Wednesday afternoon in Fayette, Iowa.
The Augustana pitching staff gave up just 2 runs on 13 hits in the doubleheader to improve to 9-16 overall and 4-0 in the NSIC. Upper Iowa drops its first games in the NSIC to move to 11-9 this season and is 2-2 in the NSIC.
Game 1
In a game where the Vikings were able to collect just 5 hits, Augustana manufactured a run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 win over the Peacocks.
After the Peacocks tied the game up in the bottom of the fourth, Augustana responded, when
Elizabeth Murray reached and advanced to second on an error to start the fifth. She then advanced to third on a
Taylor Kapsch sacrifice bunt to set up the winning run.
After a walk and stolen base from
Kayla Henke, Murray scored the game-winner on an infield ground ball from
Erika Wolner to take a 3-2 lead.
For the third straight game, the Vikings were able to get on the board in the first inning, as Henke started the game with a single to right center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Henke then moved to third on a passed ball and
Ally Rutherford drew a walk and stole second.
Britt Stewart drove in her fifth and sixth runs of the season on a single up the middle to make it 2-0.
Upper Iowa cut the lead in half in the bottom of the season with a Kasey Coon single through the left side to score Erin Bennek from second base.
The Peacocks then tied the game up in the fourth inning on an infield error. With runners on second and third, Coon drove in a run on the error and knocked starting pitcher Brit Stewart out of the game.
Chelsey Durland came in to replace Stewart, who gave up 1 earned run on 6 hits in 3.1 innings, while striking out 3 batters. Stewart also went 1-for-3 in the game with 2 RBI.
Henke and Kapsch were the only two Vikings to have a multi-hit game. Henke went 2-for-3 with a walked and 1 run scored, while Kapsch went 2-for-2 in the game
Durland (3-3) held the Peacocks scoreless in the final 3.2 innings. She gave up 3 hits and struck out 4 batters.
GAME 2
Senior
Kelly Ottis (2-5) pitched a gem for the Vikings, going the distance on the mound to earn her first shutout of the season. She gave up just 4 hits, while striking out 6 batters in the game.
The Vikings again got on the board first after a couple of Peacock miscues, as Kapsch grabbed her third single of the doubleheader to start the third inning.
Kapsch advanced to second on a sacrifice and moved to third on an infield error as Wolner reach first base. After a Wolner steal Rutherford scored both runners on an error by the centerfielder to make it 2-0.
The Peacocks kept making mistakes in the inning when
Traci Fransen reached on an error, and Rutherford scored a third run on a wild pitch.
Augie doubled its run production in the seventh when pinch runner
Brittany Lipetzky scored on a Henke sacrifice fly to right field. Wolner added the final run on another infield error, as Rutherford reached first.
Bohlmann then drove in Rutherford for a third run on a single, which was followed by a 3-run home run from Murray to put an
exclamation point on the doubleheader.
Bohlmann went 3-for-4 in the game with a RBI and run scored, while Kapsch went 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored. Murray finished 1-for-4 with 3 RBI.
The Vikings will be back at it with a home doubleheader against Mayville State Thursday at Bowden Field. The first game is set to start at 3:30.
