Box Score
The Augustana softball team was upset in the first round of the NCAA Div. II Regional Tournament on Friday, falling 2-0 to conference-foe Concordia-St. Paul. The 16
th ranked Vikings are now on a two-game losing streak.
The game was a pitching battle the entire way, with only seven hits by the two teams combined. The Golden Bears (35-15) broke the 0-0 tie in the top of the fourth inning. Anna Bjornlin led the inning off with a blooper that allowed her to get to second thanks to a miscommunication by the Vikings.
Katie Anderson laid down the bunt and beat the Augie throw get the single and move Bjornlin up a base.
The sacrifice fly by Calli Brennan scored Bjornlin. Anderson then stole third and scored on a throwing error by
Elizabeth Murray to make the score 2-0.
Augie (44-13) had two big chances to score, and things were looking good for the Vikings when
Kelsey Kalkman led the fifth inning off with a walk.
Theresa McMahon pinch ran for Stewart and then was picked off for out one.
The Vikings kept the inning going as
Chelsey Durland singled through the left side and
Brittany Coufal drove a single up the middle. Augie seemed to get some life back, but Golden Bear pitcher Ashley Kluever struck out
Britt Stewart and
Taylor Kapsch grounded out to end the inning.
Augie had another chance in the bottom of the sixth when
Kayla Henke singled up the middle and then was out at second as
Jenny Brown reached on the fielder's choice. Murray doubled to left center, moving Brown to third.
The Vikings seemed destined to score as
Traci Fransen, batting cleanup, stepped to the plate. She then fouled out to the first baseman and a ground out by Kalkman ended the inning, leaving two Vikings stranded.
“It's frustrating because
Ashley Meyer pitched a great game today,” head coach
Gretta Melsted said. “These were just two good teams playing today, and at this point in the year, it's not going to be a hit-fest.”
Meyer (19-6) went all seven innings for the Vikings, only allowing one earned run on three hits. She struck out nine batters.
When asked if the youth of the team added to the pressure they were feeling Meyer said, “We are young, but we take everything as a learning experience. We are going to hold each other accountable regardless of age.”
The Vikings will have another change tomorrow, as they take on Minnesota-Duluth at 1:30 p.m. in an elimination game. The Bulldogs lost 1-0 to Wayne State in eight innings earlier on Friday.
“It seems like this year we've played better when we are challenged,” Melsted said. “Now our backs are against the wall and we'll just have to come out and play hard tomorrow.”
