WSU BOX | MSU BOX
ROCHESTER, Minn. – No. 2 seeded Augustana defeated No. 3 seeded Winona State 3-2 in an elimination game and then fell to No. 1 seeded Minnesota State 9-8 in the NSIC Championship.
Ashley Meyer started the first game off with a bang from the circle after striking out three of the first five batters she faced and threw 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts for her 24th win of the season.
Chelsey Durland threw the final 2.0 innings and allowed just one hit to earn save No. 13 on the season.
Augustana took the lead in the second when
Jenelle Trautmann walked and moved to second as
Lindsay Spanton
reached on an error by WSU's Britt Stewart.
Kelsey Kalkman loaded the bases when she reached on a fielder's choice and an error by WSU's Kim Wachholder.
Matley Jones drove a run home with an RBI-single into left field, and Durland hit a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat to push Spanton home.
The Vikings continued to pressure WSU's Struzynski in the third when
Theresa McMahon led off with a single and
Jenny Brown's bunt moved her to second.
Elizabeth Murray walked with one out and both runners moved up on a wild pitch with Trautmann at the plate. Trautmann drew her second walk of the game to load the bases and Spanton hit into a fielder's choice that forced McMahon out at the plate. With two outs, Kalkman struck out to end the threat.
WSU got to Meyer in the third when Kathy Crudo singled with one out and Stewart brought her around on an RBI-double.
Stewart tied it up when Sam Hildebrant hit a back-to-back double with two outs. Meyer stranded Hildebrant at second after she struck out Ashley Walker .
Augustana answered back in the fifth after loading the bases with no outs. Brown singled, Murray doubled and Trautmann was intentionally walked before Kalkman drove a single into left field for an RBI.
Meyer started her second game of the day against MSU and threw 3.0 innings with two strikeouts for a no-decision while Durland took the loss, her first of the season.
In a game that featured back-and-forth scoring, Trautmann jumpstarted the Vikings in the first inning with a two-out, two-run home run after Murray walked to put the Vikings up 2-0.
MSU answered in the second after loading the bases and executing on a three-run double by Brittany Robinson.
The Vikings put together a solid inning in the third after Winskowski reached on a single and stole second before McMahon was hit by a pitch. Brown loaded the bases with a single through the left side and Spanton walked to push Winskowski home. Kalkman's ground ball to MSU's Robinson was misplayed and allowed McMahon to score. Jones then reached on another error, this time by MSU's Kendra Heuttl, and Brown ran home.
MSU again answered in the bottom half of the third on a two hits and a fielder's choice.
In the fifth inning, Murray led off with a hard shot over the left field fence to start, and Spanton continued the flurry with a one-out single. After Kalkman reached on an error, Jones loaded the bases after an error by MSU's Abby Sonner. Durland then took a 0-1 pitch up the middle to score Spanton.
With one out in the seventh inning, Kalkman added an insurance run for the Vikings with a swing of her bat, sending a 1-0 pitch over the center field fence.
MSU ended the game on a walk-off grand slam by MSU's Kelli Wood in the seventh inning.
Despite falling in the championship, Augustana had six players that earned All-Tournament Team honors.
Ashley Meyer,
Kelsey Kalkman,
Elizabeth Murray,
Theresa McMahon,
Jenelle Trautmann and
Jenny Brown were named to the team based on their performances.
Meyer, a senior from Rapid City, S.D., went 2-0 with a save in four appearances. Meyer had a 3.50 ERA and 13 strikeouts while improving to 24-3 on the season. Kalkman hit .467 (7 for 15) with five RBIs, a home run and two walks. Murray was 7 for 14 (.500) and blasted two home runs with four RBIs and two doubles.
McMahon tied a school record with three home runs in a game against Northern State and finished the tournament batting .438 (7 for 16) with four home runs, eight RBIs and a 1.188 slugging percentage. Trautmann led the team with a .533 average (8 for 15), four home runs and eight RBIs. Trautmann also started two games from the circle in the tourney. Brown hit .412 (7 for 17) with an RBI and two walks.
Augustana will play next weekend at the Central Region tournament on May 4-5.
