LAS VEGAS – No. 20 Augustana University softball (6-5) split its final two games at the Desert Stinger on Saturday to finish 1-4 at the tournament hosted by Montana State-Billings. The Vikings lost a heartbreaker 2-1 to Sonoma State University in nine innings before shutting out host MSU-Billings 9-0 in the final game of the tournament for the Vikings.
 
Augustana's loss against Sonoma State was decided by the international tiebreaker rule in which a runner is placed on second base to start each extra inning.
 
Game one
In what started out as a pitcher's duel between Augustana's Karlee Koopman and Sonoma State's Amanda Llerena, Augustana was able to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
 
Koopman suffered the loss for the Vikings despite pitching 8.1 strong innings striking out six batters.
 
Sarah Kennedy drove in Augustana's only run of the game with an RBI double in the third that drove in Abby Chandler who walked with one out to start the rally for the Vikings.
 
The Vikings had the offense going and had plenty of chances to score finishing with seven hits but 11 runners were left on base in the game, including three in the top of the seventh.
 
Sonoma State tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth after Alex Flores led off the inning with a double and came around to score on an RBI single by Aubrie Tolliver after being moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt.
 
Augustana sacrificed a runner to third in each of the extra-innings after starting the inning with a runner on second but the Vikings were unable to push a run across. Sonoma State scored the game-winning run on an RBI single by Leanna Georges to take the game 2-1 by the international tiebreak rule in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Game two
Augustana used a six-run top of the second inning to earn its first win in its final game of the Desert Stinger over tournament-host MSU-Billings Saturday evening. The Vikings finished the game with 11 hits and registered their first shutout of the season, holding the Yellowjackets to just five hits.
 
Seven different Vikings had a hit in the win over MSU Billings. Abby Chandler finished the game 3 for 3 with three singles and a run scored. Shannon Petersen and Morgan Beaner each finished with two hits.
 
The biggest hit of the day came off the bat of junior shortstop Sarah Kennedy who blasted her first home run of the season, a grand slam in the top of the second inning that helped the Vikings break the game open.
 
Carley Pickett earned her third win of the season to even her record to 3-3 on the year. Pickett struck out five batters and registered her first shutout of the season.
 
Augustana opened the scoring in the game when Beaner walked with the bases loaded to drive in the game's first run and give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.
 
Kylie Rome started off the big second inning reaching on an error and the Vikings were quickly able to load the bases after Chandler singled and Carly Peterson walked. Rome came in to score when Pickett reached on a fielder's choice and the MSU Billings third baseman was charged with an error trying to force Rome out at the plate.
 
Kennedy then stepped to the plate and took an 0-1 pitch deep over the fence in center field to put Augustana in front 7-0.
 
Petersen led off the fourth inning with her second career home run, a deep shot to center field, which put the Vikings up 8-0. Later in the fourth, Peterson singled through the left side of the infield to give Augustana a 9-0 lead that would hold to put the eight-run rule into effect after Pickett set the Yellowjackets down in order in the fourth and fifth innings.
 
Augustana softball returns to action Feb. 19-21 at the Huskydome Classic in St. Cloud, Minn. The Vikings will play five games in three days at the Huskydome Classic starting with Nebraska-Kearney at 7 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 19.