SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 9 Augustana softball suffered its first home loss of the season after dropping game one of a doubleheader to Minnesota Duluth (27-18, 11-11 NSIC) 2-1. The Vikings (39-7, 20-2 NSIC) responded in game two with a 9-0 five-inning win to gain a split in the twinbill.
 
Jenelle Trautmann struck out 10 batters but the Vikings left nine runners on base, including six in the first three innings of the game.
 
Carley Pickett tossed a gem in game two, giving up just one hit in four innings of work to pick up her 12th win of the season.
 
Game one
Minnesota Duluth scored a run in the first and second innings and got a strong defensive effort behind pitcher Cayli Sadler who allowed five hits.
 
Jordan Schaffer produced Augustana's only run in the game, hitting her sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the second inning.
 
Minnesota Duluth scored a run in the top of the first and second innings to take an early 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs scored both of their runs with two outs in each inning, scoring on an error in the first and a two-out RBI double by Ashley Schilling.
 
Sarah Kennedy got on base with a two-out single in the bottom of the first and Trautmann followed with a walk but both runners would end up stranded on base.
 
The Vikings cut the lead in half in the top of the second on a leadoff home run by Jordan Schaffer that made the score 2-1.  Maddie Merriam extended the second inning with a one-out single before being erased when Kylie Rome reached on a fielder's choice. Caitlin Nichol walked to put two runners on with two outs but Sadler was able to work out of the jam.
 
Trautmann singled with one out in the third and the Vikings had two runners on once again in the third but were unable to push a run across.
 
The loss in game one marked the first home loss of the season for the Vikings.
 
Game two
The Vikings hit three home runs and had six different players each with at least one hit in a 9-0 win in game two.
 
Augustana jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Kennedy, who finished 2 for 3 with two RBI, hit her 13th home run of the season. Nichol walked to lead off the inning and Carly Peterson moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt and Kennedy drilled a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left center.
 
Jordan Rice led off the top of the second with UMD's first of two hits in the game, a single through the left side of the infield. Natalie Wright walked and Alexia Klass moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt but Pickett got a ground out and a strikeout to leave runners on second and third.
 
Augustana got a leadoff walk in the second but after a pickoff the inning ended quietly and Pickett set the Bulldogs down in order in the top of the third setting up a four-run bottom of the third.
 
The Vikings took a 6-0 lead scoring four runs on three hits in the third starting with a two-RBI double by Trautmann that scored Nichol, who walked with one out, and Peterson, who singled with one out. Jordan Schaffer then drove Trautmann with her second home run of the day, seventh of the season, extending the lead to six runs.
 
Pickett set the Bulldogs down in order in the top of the fourth and Nichol drilled a three-run home run in the home half of the fourth giving Augustana a 9-0 lead and a chance to end the second game in five innings.
 
Karlee Koopman came in to pitch the top of the fifth for the Vikings and allowed two base runners but was able to get out of the inning without any damage.
 
Augustana returns to action Sunday, April 19, hosting St. Cloud State at 12 p.m. at Bowden Field. The Vikings will celebrate Senior Day on Sunday and will honor five seniors, Erin Kempf, Jenelle Trautmann, Mackenzie Alstott, Caitlin Nichol and Jordan Schaffer in between games.