Augustana University Athletics

BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - No. 5 Augustana softball opened the Rebel Spring Games on Sunday afternoon in Winter Haven, Fla. picking up two wins. The Vikings (9-2) opened the day with a season-high 16 hits to defeat Adelphi University (N.Y.) 11-1. In game two, Erin Kempf drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning against Hillsdale College (Mich.) to lift Augustana to a 3-2 win.
 
Game 1
Caitlin Nichol had big opening game for the Vikings going 3 for 3 with an RBI and scoring four runs. She stole three bases on three attempts and is now 4 for 4 on the season.
 
Augustana had five players with multiple hits in the game, including Nichol, Kempf and Jenelle Trautmann who each had three. Sarah Kennedy finished the game 2 for 5 with two RBI and Carly Peterson drove in two runs while going 2 for 2.
 
Trautmann earned her sixth win of the season tossing 4.0 innings and striking out six. Augustana allowed just two hits in the game, with Trautmann giving up one and Karlee Koopman, who tossed three innings, allowing just one.
 
The Vikings got off to a fast start taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on two hits and an error. Nichol was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and eventually scored on a throwing error by the Adelphi catcher on a stolen base attempt to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. Kempf later singled with two runners on to drive in a run and Peterson singled with two outs to drive in another and give Augustana a three-run cushion in the top of the first.
 
Augustana tacked on another run in the top of the second on an RBI single by Kennedy to go in front 4-0. Augustana continued to pour it on in the top of the third inning scoring three runs on two hits to take a 7-0 lead.
 
Kempf delivered her second hit of the game with a leadoff single and was driven in on a triple by Peterson, her first three-bagger of the season. Jordan Schaffer was later hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third. Adelphi made a pitching change and the Vikings put on the squeeze play and Maddie Merriam laid down a perfect punt to score Abby Chandler who replaced Peterson as a pinch runner.
 
Merriam was able to take second base on the play and the Vikings added another run on a sacrifice fly by Nichol.
 
Mackenzie Alstott drove in a run in the top of the fifth to give the Vikings an 8-0 cushion but Adelphi was able to plate a run in the bottom half of the fifth to make the score 8-1 and deny Augustana's eight-run rule bid. The Vikings scored three more runs on three hits in the top of the seventh, including a two-RBI single by Trautmann to go in front 11-1.
 
Koopman shut the door in the bottom half of the inning striking out a batter and getting two ground ball outs.
 
Game 2
Augustana pushed across a run in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth inning to earn a 3-2 win over Hillsdale. Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Kempf drove in the game-winning run on a single through the left side of the infield. Lindsay Spanton started the rally with a one-out double to right center before moving up to third base on a wild pitch. Kempf then delivered a single in the hole on the left side of the indfield to give Augustana the 3-2 win.
 
Hillsdale got two hits in the bottom of the seventh the seventh inning but Trautmann slammed the door shut to earn her second win of the day, seventh of the season.
 
Koopman started the game in the circle for Augustana and tossed 4.1 innings, giving up five hits and two runs.
 
Kempf was 1 for 2 with two RBI against Hillsdale and finished the day 4 for 5 with three RBI. Alstott was 2 for 2 with two singles and Emily Heinz was 2 for 3 with two singles.     
 
After three and a half innings of scoreless softball, the Vikings pushed one across and took a 1-0 lead when Kempf fouled out to left field but Abby Chandler, pinch running for Trautmann, was able to tag up and score.
 
Hillsdale struck right back scoring two runs on two hits in the top of the fifth inning. Cassie Asselta drove in the first run with an RBI double and with runners on second and third, Jessie Fox came in to score on a fielder's choice to give the Chargers a 2-1 lead.
 
Augustana tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth when Peterson scored when Nichol reached on an error by the second baseman. Peterson pinch ran for Jordan Schaffer, who led off the inning with a single, and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Merriam to get into scoring position.
 
Hillsdale got two runners on in the sixth and seventh but Trautmann kept their bats silent and Kempf delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom half of the sixth.
 
Augustana returns to action tomorrow morning taking on Ferris State at 8 a.m. (CT) before playing Wayne State (Mich.) at 12 p.m. (CT). Follow those games by following @AugieSoftball on Twitter or by viewing live stats HERE.