GAME NOTES (PDF)
This week: No. 10 Augustana (37-5, 18-1 NSIC) finishes up its regular season schedule this week with three road doubleheaders. The Vikings travel to Upper Iowa on Wednesday for two games beginning at 2 p.m. and take to the field against No. 12 Winona State( 31-6, 15-3 NSIC) on Thursday at 1 p.m. Augustana faces travel-partner Wayne State (29-12, 17-3 NSIC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. for its last conference doubleheader of the season.
The series: Augustana's history with Upper Iowa doesn't date back far as the series began between these two teams in 2009. The Vikings are 4-0 in the series and all four wins have been under head coach
Gretta Melsted. The Vikings are 14-9 in the series against Winona State and split its doubleheader against the Warriors last season. Melsted is 3-5 against WSU. Augustana first faced Wayne State in 1983 and the Vikings lead the series 29-11. In 2010, the Vikings played five games against the Wildcats and went two for three. Last season, WSC ended the Vikings' season with a 1-2 victory at the Central Region Championships. Melsted is 5-7 against WSC. For more information on the series, turn to page 9 and 10.
Last time out: Augustana picked up an additional four conference wins last weekend, sweeping Minnesota, Crookston and Minnesota State Moorhead. Augustana had a 3-0 win over UMC to begin the holiday weekend and then earned its next three victories in five innings by the run rule. In Game 2 against the Golden Eagles, Augustana had an 8-0 win. The Vikings then went out and blasted MSUM?with hits, defeating the Dragons 15-0 and 8-0 in Game 1 and 2, respectively.
Ranked: Augustana will face its fourth ranked opponent of the season this week. Winona State is ranked No. 6 in the national rankings released April 20. Augustana is currently 4-1 against ranked opponents, having defeated No. 12 Indianapolis, No. 21 Dowling and No. 6 Minnesota State.
Schedule updates: A continued softball game from April 5 that was scheduled to be completed April 25 between Augustana and Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minn., has been postponed. A continuation date has not yet been announced.
NSIC honors: Chelsey Durland (Maple Plain, Minn.) was stellar in the circle last week, tossing two complete-game shutouts and allowing just three hits in 10.0 innings of work. Durland, who finished 2-0 for the week with wins over MSU Moorhead and Minnesota, Crookston, struck out nine batters and held her opponents to a .100 batting average. Her strongest outing came on Friday against UMC when she allowed just one hit in five innings of work. Durland is 13-2 on the season. It's the fourth weekly conference honor for a Viking this season.
Ashley Meyer earned Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 14,
Kelsey Kalkman was Player of the Week on March 1 and
Traci Fransen was Player of the Week on April 19.
Record breaker: Traci Fransen (Jackson, Minn.) tied Angie Hopkins' seven-year home run record last weekend, belting her 34th career homer last Saturday against Minnesota State Moorhead.
Out at home: Augustana has outscored its opponent 42-0 in its past five games. The Vikngs haven't allowed their opponent to reach home plate since a 9-2 victory over Concordia-St. Paul on April 18. Augustana is currently riding an 11 game winning streak, just one win shy of breaking its 12 game winning streak set earlier this season.
Battin' Spanton: Lindsay Spanton (Apple Valley, Minn.)?has earned at least one hit in the last twelve games Augustana has played. She has slammed 42 hits this season and had a game high five hits in Game 2 against Chadron State on March 29. Last weekend, Spanton cracked two homers during the Vikings' outting with Minnesota State Moorhead.
Nifty fifty: The Vikings have bumped up their season home run total to 50 with the nine homers the team smashed last weekend..
Lindsay Spanton (Apple Valley, Minn.),
Theresa McMahon (Hartford, S.D.),
Traci Fransen (Jackson, Minn.)?and
Elizabeth Murray (Cottage Grove, Minn.)?were the Vikings who recorded the homers to send the Vikings on their way to breaking the season record of 58 set last season.
National Rankings: Augustana moved up another two spots this week to be ranked No. 10 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 poll announced Wednesday.
Regional Ranking: For the first time this season Augustana is ranked No. 1 in the Central Region Rankings released April 20 by the NCAA. The Vikings, who had an overall record of 31-5 and an in-region record of 24-2 at the time of the rankings, beat out Minnesota State for the top spot.
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 152-99 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 ( )
