BOX SCORE

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 23 Augustana College softball used a four-run top of the fifth inning to defeat No. 17 Emporia State University 12-8 on Saturday morning at the Huskydome Classic in St. Cloud, Minn. Augustana improved to 5-3 with the win, picking up its second win over a ranked opponent this season, handing Emporia State just its second loss of the season as the Hornets fall to 7-2.
 
Augustana out-slugged Emporia State, matching its season-high in hits (12) and runs (12). Four Vikings had multiple hits on the afternoon, led by Sarah Kennedy who finished 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Caitlin Nichol finished 2 for 3 with two RBI and two walks. Jordan Schaffer finished 2 for 2 with two RBI and a run scored.
 
Emporia State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after an RBI single by Stephanie Goodwin that scored Taylor Zordel who led off the inning with a single before stealing second base.
 
The Vikings answered in the top half of the second inning taking a 2-1 lead on a two-RBI single by Caitlin Nichol that scored Abby Chandler and Maddie Merriam. Merriam started the rally with a one-out double setting the table for Chandler and Nichol.
 
The Hornets had an answer in the bottom of the second getting a two-run home run by Kaitlyn Caston that put Emporia State back in front, 3-2. Augustana responded right back in the top of the third getting three runs on three hits to take a 5-3 lead.
 
Sarah Kennedy singled to lead off the inning and Jenelle Truatmann followed with a walk to put two runners on. A wild pitch moved Kennedy and Trautmann into scoring position before Morgan Beaner tapped into a fielder's choice that saw Kennedy get thrown out at the plate.
 
Trautmann and Beaner alertly moved up a base on the play and Jordan Schaffer delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 3-3. Carley Pickett followed with an RBI single to put the Vikings in front 4-3 and Merriam drove in Schaffer on a ground out to give the Vikings a two-run lead at 5-3.
 
The scoring spree continued in the bottom of the third inning as Emporia State tied the game once again scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Jacie Stephens to knot things up at 5-5.
 
The trend carried over to the fourth inning as both teams scored three runs in their half of the fourth inning as the two teams would go into the fifth tied 8-8. In the top of the fourth inning, Augustana took a 7-5 lead on a two-RBI double by Beaner one out. Jordan Schaffer delivered an RBI single later in the inning to extend the lead to 8-5.
 
Emporia State led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run by Brenda Novelo before Goodwin drove in two more with a double to tie the game at 8-8.
 
Augustana scored multiple runs for the fourth straight inning, plating four in the top of the fifth inning to go in front 12-8.
 
The Vikings scored two runs when Carly Peterson reached on an error by the Emporia State third baseman with the bases loaded to go in front 10-8 and Kennedy later singled in two more runs to extend the lead to four at 12-8.
 
Karlee Koopman (2-0) came in to pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning and stranded two runners in the fifth before shutting Emporia State down in the sixth and seventh innings to earn her second win of the season in the circle. Koopman struck out one batter and allowed just one hit in three innings of work.
 
Augustana returns to action with two more games at the Huskydome Classic on Sunday. The Vikings will take on Fort Hays State at 10 a.m. before closing-out the five-game trip against Nebraska-Kearney at 2:30 p.m.