BOX SCORE

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Senior third baseman Caitlin Nichol hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to lift No. 24 Augustana softball to a 9-8 victory over Central Missouri (16-7) on Friday afternoon at the Missouri Western Invite. The win propelled Augustana to its 16th win of the season, improving the team's season record to 16-4.
 
Central Missouri came storming back from a two-run deficit to take a 7-5 lead after a four-run top of the sixth inning. The Vikings answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth inning to regain the lead at 8-7.
 
The Jennies tied it up again with a run in the top of the seventh but Nichol delivered the game-winning hit on a two-out RBI single that scored Maddie Merriam who started the rally with a single.
 
Nichol finished the game 3 for 5 with a double and a career-high tying three RBI. Jenelle Trautmann had another big game for the Vikings going 3 for 4, including her 11th home run of the season, while driving in four runs. Merriam had two of Augustana's season-high tying 13 hits, finishing 2 for 4 with a run scored.
 
Trautmann also earned her ninth win of the season in the circle after coming into the game as a relief pitcher and striking out five batters in three innings of work.
 
Central Missouri opened up a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning getting two straight singles to start the inning. Ali Jo Rogers led off the game with a single and stole second before coming around to score on an RBI single by Lindsey Dawson to give the Jennies a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Alex Leonhart drove in two runs with a one-out double to put UCM in front 3-0.
 
The Vikings cut into UCM's lead in the bottom of the first when Trautmann drove in Mackenzie Alstott, who reached on an error with one out in the inning, to make the score 3-1.
 
Augustana and Central Missouri combined for just two hits over the next two and a half innings until the Vikings broke through to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Carly Peterson drilled her second home run of the season with one out to bring the Vikings within one at 3-2.
 
With two outs in the inning, Nichol doubled to left field to score two and put the Vikings in front 4-3.
 
Augustana extended the lead to two in the bottom of the fifth when Trautmann Peterson reached on an error that allowed Trautmann to score and give the Vikings a 5-3 lead.
 
Central Missouri answered with a four-run top of the sixth inning scoring four runs on five hits to regain the lead at 7-5. The Vikings would not go away quietly scoring three of their own in the bottom half of the sixth on a three-run home run by Jenelle Trautmann with two outs that put Augustana back in front 8-7.
 
The home run marked the 11th of the season and 65th of Trautmann's career. She currently ranks third all-time in NCAA Division II history and is just 13 shy of the all-time record.
 
Central Missouri got two runners on with nobody out in the top of the seventh after a hit batter and a walk. Both runners moved up to third on a passed ball and Carlie Rose was able to drive in one with a single to right field to tie the game at 8 with one out. Trautmann was able to get a groundout and a strikeout to give her team a chance for the win in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Merriam started the rally with a one out single and Carley Pickett followed suit with a single of her own putting runners on first and second. Nichol then stepped to the plate and drove in the game-winning run with her third RBI of the game to give the Vikings a walk-off 9-8 win.
 
Augustana has defeated Central Missouri twice in walk-off fashion this season, with Nichol delivering the game-winning hit in both games.
 
Augustana returns to action tomorrow morning taking on No. 16 Central Oklahoma at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph, Mo. The Vikings will then take on tournament-host Missouri Western at 2 p.m.