Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Despite giving up early leads in both contests, the Augustana softball team defeated Southwest Minnesota State (SMSU) in both games of Thursday's doubleheader held at Bowden Field. The Vikings improved to 33-8 overall and 15-1 in the NSIC, one game ahead of Concordia-St. Paul.
The Vikings were efficient from the plate in the first game, going 13-for-24 (.542) as a team. Usually unlucky number 13 turned into a positive as Augie scored 13 unanswered runs to quickly turn a 2-0 deficit into a 13-2 lead.
Traci Fransen paced the Vikings, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Three of the RBIs came on her second-inning home run, her eighth of the season, that gave the Vikings a 7-2 lead.
Reserve
Shelby Thompson made the most of her pinch-hitting appearance. She took a 3-2 pitch deep to right center to knock in three runs to complete the scoring for Augie.
Jenny Brown went 2-for-2, knocking in two runs during Augie's six-run second inning.
Ashley Meyer threw the complete game win to advance her record to 13-3. She gave up four earned runs on seven hits while striking out two.
In the second game, the Vikings again tallied 13 hits.
Kelsey Kalkman and
Brittany Coufal each went 3-for-3 with one RBI, while
Traci Fransen hit a solo home run, her ninth of the season. Kalkman's solo home run in the bottom of the fourth broke a 1-1 tie, and RBIs by
Kayla Henke and
Jenny Brown pushed the Augustana advantage to 4-1 after four complete innings. Following two SMSU runs in the top of the sixth, Coufal extended the Augie lead back to 5-3 with a solo home run, and
Elizabeth Murray doubled to score Brown for the final run tally.
Britt Stewart threw five innings and picked up the win to improve her record to 12-2.
Chelsey Durland came in in the sixth inning to earn her first save of the season. Together, the two surrendered three earned runs on 11 hits, while striking out five and only allowing one walk.
The Vikings will continue their home stand with doubleheaders on Sunday and Monday versus Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth. Originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, each game has been pushed back a day due to the proposed threat of inclement weather on Saturday. Start times were not determined for these games at the time of this release.
