SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 2 seed Winona State University (45-12) scored five runs on two Augustana errors in the third and fourth innings to defeat the top-seeded Vikings (49-8) 6-4 on Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the NSIC/US Bank Softball Tournament.
 
Augustana will now play the winner of the USF/Minnesota State game at 12 p.m. on Saturday at Sherman Park. USF is the No. 9 seed in the NSIC Tournament and Minnesota State is the No. 3 seed.
 
The Vikings got off to a fast start against the Warriors, scoring four runs on four hits and one error in the bottom of the first inning to grab a 4-0 lead. Caitlin Nichol led off the game with her 22nd home run of the season to give Augustana a quick 1-0 lead.
 
Carley Pickett followed with a sharp single to left field and Sarah Kennedy reached on a fielding error to put two runners on with no outs. Jenelle Trautmann was then hit by a pitch loading the bases for Carly Peterson.
 
Peterson hit a ball between the Winona State pitcher and catcher and was safe at first allowing Pickett to score to make it 2-0. Jordan Schaffer then beat out an infield single to drive in Kennedy and the Vikings held a three run lead. Schaffer scored the fourth run of the inning coming in to score on a wild pitch putting Augustana up 4-0.
 
Trautmann (29-3) set the Warriors down in order in the top of the second picking up two of her four strikeouts on the afternoon and the Vikings got back to the plate with the top of the order due up.
 
Pickett started a one-out rally with a single and the Vikings quickly got two runners on after Kennedy was hit by a pitch. Winona State's Ashley Walker got Trautmann and Peterson to bounce out to end the inning and leave two runners on.
 
Winona State cut the lead in half with two runs on two hits in the top of the third. Reed Karsten drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field and the Warriors plated another on an infield single by Walker to make the score 4-2.
 
The Warriors got a few bounces and took advantage of two Augustana errors in the top of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead as Walker dug in to quiet down the Vikings' bats after a loud first inning. Walker held Augustana hitless from the third inning on as her team added a run in the fifth to make the final margin of 6-5.
 
Augustana will now have to battle back into the championship game of the double elimination tournament. The Vikings await the winner of the USF/Minnesota State game which will be played at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Augustana will play the winner of that game at 12 p.m. on Field A at Sherman Park.