BOX SCORE

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 23 Augustana College softball held Fort Hays State University to three hits in a 4-0 victory over the Tigers on Sunday in St. Cloud, Minn. Jenelle Trautmann struck out four batters and allowed just two hits and Carley Pickett struck out five batters yielding just one hit while striking out five to earn a three-inning save.
 
Augustana improved to 6-3 on the season with the win while Fort Hays State drops to 3-6.
 
Nine different players accounted for Augustana's 10 hits, led by Carly Peterson who finished 2 for 4 with a run scored. Jenelle Trautmann was 1 for 3 with a home run and three RBI and Abby Chandler was 1 for 1 with an RBI for the Vikings.
 
Augustana opened the scoring in the game taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single by Abby Chandler. Jordan Schaffer led off the inning with a walk and moved up to second on a ground out by Carley Pickett before being driven in on Chandler's single.
 
The Vikings added to the lead in the bottom of the third inning when Jenelle Trautmann blasted a three-run home run, her fourth long ball of the season, to put the Vikings in front 4-0. The home run was the 59th of Trautmann's career, moving her into a tie for sixth all-time in NCAA Division II history.
 
Caitlin Nichol started the third inning off with a leadoff single and moved up to second when Carly Peterson reached on a fielder's choice. Sarah Kennedy then reached on a fielder's choice and Nichol was forced out at third, but Peterson was able to move up to second on the play. Trautmann then stepped to the plate and belted a 1-0 pitch over the left center field fence to give Augustana a four run lead.
 
Augustana threatened to add to the lead in the next three innings, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and leaving two runners on in the fifth and sixth innings. Pickett held Fort Hays State to just one hit in the final three innings picking up her first career of the season and the 14th of her career. Pickett is now four saves shy of tying Chelsey Durland for the all-time lead in Augustana softball history.
 
Augustana will close-out its five-game trip at the Huskydome Classic taking on Nebraska-Kearney at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.