BOX SCORE

CLERMONT, Fla. – No. 24 Augustana softball (14-4) closed-out its eight-game spring trip to Clermont, Fla. with a 6-1 win over Saint Michael's College (0-7) on Wednesday afternoon. The Vikings went 7-1 on the trip, playing eight games in four days.
 
Saint Michael's grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning but the Vikings scored three in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 6-1 lead into the sixth, which they would hold on to for the win.
 
Seven different players recorded at least one of Augustana's eight hits on the day. Sarah Kennedy finished 2 for 2 with two runs scored, extending her hit streak to 23 games. Kennedy has hit safely in all 18 games this season and extends her hit streak from May 9 of last season (23 games).
 
Caitlin Nichol blasted her third home run of the season to lead off the fifth inning and finished 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Maddie Merriam went 1 for 3 with a two-RBI double, her fourth two-bagger of the season.
 
Karlee Koopman pitched five strong innings for the Vikings to earn her fourth victory of the season and improve to 4-0. Koopman allowed just one unearned run on three hits with a strikeout.
 
Saint Michael's plated a run on an RBI double by Judi Barcavage in the top of the first inning that gave the Purple Knight's a 1-0 lead. The Vikings were able to turn a double play to end the threat with runners in scoring position.
 
Neither team was able to muster up a hit over the next three innings until the Vikings broke through with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth. Kennedy led off the inning with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jenelle Trautmann. Jordan Schaffer then walked and Carly Peterson drove in a Kennedy with an RBI single. After Koopman flied out for the second out of the inning, Merriam delivered a two-RBI double to give the Vikings a 3-1 lead.
 
Augustana then went off for three more runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth to go in front 6-1. Nichol led off the inning with her third home run of the season to make the score 4-1. Trautmann then drove in a run with a single and Schaffer drove in another on a sacrifice fly to right field to give Augustana a five run cushion headed to the sixth.
 
Pickett came in to pitch the final two innings and held Saint Michael's to three hits while striking out two batters.
 
Augustana will now head to St. Joseph, Mo., where it will play six games in three days starting against Pittsburg State on Friday, March 20, at 10 a.m.