LAS VEGAS – No. 20 Augustana University softball (5-4) had a tough day on day one at the Desert Stinger in Las Vegas, Nev. on Friday. The Vikings went 0-3 losing 4-1 to Western New Mexico, 11-2 to Cal Baptist and 7-4 to Western Washington.
 
Augustana will conclude the five-game trip at the Desert Stinger with a pair of games on Saturday.
 
Game one
Western New Mexico got a three-run home run from Thailyza Ramirez in the top of the third inning and the Vikings were unable to recover.
 
Augustana finished the game with one run on six hits while committing two errors.
 
Shannon Petersen had two hits against Western New Mexico, including her first career home run which accounted for Augustana's lone run of the game.
 
After two scoreless innings the Vikings looked to get off the field and back up to the plate when Carley Pickett got two outs on just three pitches in the top of the third. Western New Mexico started a two-out rally on a single by Ariana Maldonado followed by a walk by Mariangela Garcia.
 
Ramirez then sent a 1-0 pitch off the scoreboard in left center to put the Mustangs in front 3-0.
 
Augustana made it 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth on Petersen's first career home run but Western New Mexico responded with a run in the top of the fifth after a leadoff triple by Garcia led to a run on an RBI single by Lacy Granger to make it 4-1.
 
Augustana put together a threat in the bottom of the seventh loading the bases with singles from Maddie Merriam, Abby Chandler and Carley Peterson but WNMU pitcher Domi Shone was able to get Sarah Kennedy to ground out to third for the final out of the inning and the game.
 
Game two
The Vikings surrendered four runs in the first two innings against Cal Baptist and that would be all the Lancers would need as they went on to pick up an 11-2 six-inning win over the Vikings.
 
Karlee Koopman was tagged with her first loss of the season in the circle allowing 11 runs, just three earned, on 10 hits.
 
The Vikings cut Cal Baptist's lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI double by Emily Wilson that scored Shannon Petersen who reached on a one-out single.
 
Carly Peterson led off the bottom of the third with a double and came around to score on an RBI single by Sarah Kennedy to help Augustana cut CBU's lead in half at 4-2.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, Cal Baptist put up two runs on three hits in the top of the fifth to go in front 6-2 before scoring five runs on four hits and two Augustana errors in the sixth to extend its lead to 11-2.
 
Wilson got the Vikings going in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double, her second of the game, but the offense was unable to get going to force a seventh inning.
 
Game three
After giving up a run in the top of the first inning against Western Washington, Augustana was able to put up four runs in the first three innings and chase WWU's starting pitcher from the game taking a 4-1 lead.
 
Maggie Kadrlik put Augustana in front 2-1 with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the first. With two outs in the bottom of the third, Morgan Beaner delivered an RBI single to put the Vikings in front 3-1 and Maddie Merriam later walked with the bases loaded to drive in another and give Augustana a three-run lead at 4-1.
 
An Augustana error in the top of the fourth allowed Western Washington to score two runs and make it a one run game at 4-3. Western Washington added three runs in the top of the fifth, including a two-run home run by Emily Benson helping her team go in front 6-4.
 
Western Washington got a two-out single in the top of the seventh and Alexie Levin later drove that runner in with a double putting her team in front 7-4.
 
Augustana did not go down quietly in the seventh. Kadrlik walked with one out in the inning and Petersen singled to left field to put two runners on but Western Washington was able to turn a double play to end the game.
 
Augustana returns to action on Saturday at the Desert Stinger. The Vikings will play Sonoma State at 1:30 p.m. (CT) before closing-out the tournament against host Montana State-Billings at 6:30 p.m. (CT).