GAME NOTES (PDF)
This week: No. 17 Augustana (27-5, 8-1 NSIC) will play a doubleheader at No. 5 Minnesota State (31-6, 8-2 NSIC) on Wednesday at 3 p.m. before returning home on Saturday for doubleheaders against St. Cloud State and Concordia University, St. Paul. The Vikings will face SCSU (17-14, 2-4 NSIC) on Saturday at noon and CU (22-10, 5-3 NSIC) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The series: Augustana leads the series against Minnesota State 55-35. The Vikings' longest winning streak against the Mavericks was from May 7, 1993 to May 14, 1995 when Augustana won 10-straight games. In 2010, the Vikings had a 3-0 win over MSU at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament.
Gretta Melsted is 4-7 against the Mavericks. The Vikings are 60-30 in the series with St. Cloud State. Since 2009, Augustana is 5-0 against the Huskies and defeated SCSU 10-0 in five innings earlier this season at the Husky Dome Classic. Melsted is 6-4 against SCSU. Augustana first took the field against Concordia on April 11, 1987, and the Vikings lead the series 11-6. Last season, Augustana won three of five games against the Golden Bears, including a 5-2 victory in eight innings at the NCAA Championships.
Last time out: The Vikings earned four wins last week and also had their first conference loss of the season. Augustana's first win was a 2-1 victory in 16.0 innings over Southwest Minnesota State. Game 2 against SMSU was suspended indefinitely because of darkness in the top of the fourth with Augustana leading 4-0. Augustana then picked up a doubleheader sweep of Bemidji State on Saturday, winning Game 1, 7-0 and Game 2, 2-1. On Monday, Augustana wasn't able to score a run for the first time this season in a 3-0 loss against Minnesota Duluth. The Vikings battled back for a 2-1 victory in Game 2.
Schedule update: Augustana has not yet announced a reschedule date in order to complete Game 2 against Southwest Minnesota State. It was suspended on April 5 due to darkness with the Vikings leading 4-0.
Swing batter batter: Elizabeth Murray (Cottage Grove, Minn.)?belted a solo home run in the top of the 16th inning to break a 1-1 tie and help Augustana to a 2-1, extra-innings victory over Southwest Minnesota State. It was her fifth homer of the season. The powerful hitter is currently leading the Vikings with a .611 slugging percentage.
Strike three: In Augustana's 3-0 loss to Minnesota Duluth, the Vikings had trouble getting their bats going. Augustana had 13 strikeouts in the game. It marks just the second time this season that the Vikings' strikeouts were in double digits. Eleven Viking strikeouts were recorded earlier in the week against Southwest Minnesota State.
Meyer on fire: Ashley Meyer (Rapid City, S.D.)?pitched all 16.0 innings for the Vikings in their 2-1 win over Southwest Minnesota State. She earned 13 strikeouts in the afternoon and allowed eight Mustang hits. She has 13 wins on the season and has pitched 100.2 innings.
Jenny from the block: jenny Brown (Omaha, Neb.)?led the Vikings last week with a .381 batting average. She slammed two hits and picked up one RBI in the Vikings' 7-0 win over Bemidji State in Game 1 and added another two hits and two RBIs in Game 2 to lead Augustana to a 2-1 victory. Brown recorded eight hits in the Vikings' five games, including a double. She had a slugging percentage of .429.
Run ruled: Augustana has now outscored its opponents 218-72 in 2011. The Vikings have run ruled their opponents in 11 games.
National poll: Augustana climbed three spots and moved to No. 17 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 poll released April 6. For the second straight week, Alabama-Huntsville is the No. 1 softball team in the nation. Joining the Vikings in the poll from the NSIC is No. 5 Minnesota State and No. 8 Winona State.
Regional Ranking: Augustana retained its No. 3 Central Region Ranking in the latest rankings released April 7 by the NCAA. No. 1 in the rankings is Minnesota State and Winona State is No. 2.
Players to watch: Senior third baseman
Traci Fransen (Jackson, Minn.) and junior pitcher
Ashley Meyer (Rapid City, S.D.)?were named NSIC "Players to Watch". Fransen started in all 60 games for the Vikings and lead the team with 15 home runs and 66 RBIs last season. She earned NFCA National Player of the Week honors, was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Central Region first team and was selected Daktronics All-Central Region second team. Meyer made 28 starts a year ago, recorded three shutouts and posted a 20-7 record with a 1.56 ERA. She was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Central Region second team, earned Daktronics All-Central Region first team honors and was named NSIC Rookie of the Year. Both Fransen and Meyer earned All-NSIC first team in the 2010 season.
About the squad: The Vikings retain a young look with
Traci Fransen (Jackson, Minn.) and
Mickey Anderson (Norfolk, Neb.) the only seniors on the roster. Despite being young, Augustana has the pieces in place to contend for a regional championship. Back in 2011 are five Vikings who appeared in all 60 games a year ago and two others who played extensively in at least 55 contests. Six Vikings who earned All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference recognition in 2010 also return.
Coaches' corner: Gretta Melsted, head coach at Augustana since 2007, was voted Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year in 2010. Augustana was second in the NSIC standings at the conclusion of the 2009 regular-season schedule and jumped to first place in 2010. Melsted has compiled an impressive 43-8 record in two seasons of NSIC competition and is 142-99 overall in her four seasons as head coach.
Michael Mook is in his second season as a graduate assistant coach for the Augustana softball program in 2010-11, working primarily with pitchers. Graduate assistant coach Kelsey Thompson is in her first year with the Augustana softball program in 2010-11.
The Augustana Coaches' Show: Live from the Gateway Lounge in Sioux Falls, The Augustana Coaches' Show airs each Monday at 5 p.m. Join Jeff Fylling and Augustana head coaches as they discuss various topics surrounding Viking athletics.
Stay connected: Follow Augustana all season long on its official online home, www.GoAugie.com. You can also get the latest news and updates on the Vikings on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GoAugie) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/GoAugie). To view video highlights and the latest episode of the Augustana Sportscene, log onto the Vikings' official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/GoAugie).
According to the coaches: Augustana received two first-place votes and 168 points to be selected second in the 2011 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The NSIC's 13 head coaches vote in the poll.
1. Wayne State (9) 177
2. Augustana (2) 168
3. Winona State (3) 163
4. Minnesota State 147
5. Concordia-St. Paul 126
6. Minnesota Duluth 120
7. Southwest Minnesota State 116
8. University of Mary 93
9. St. Cloud State 91
10. Upper Iowa 77
11. Northern State 57
12. MSU Moorhead 52
13. Bemidji State 38
14. Minnesota, Crookston 31
First place votes in ( )
