SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana University softball is set to open the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference portion of its 2016 schedule on Tuesday traveling to Wayne, Neb. to take on Wayne State. The doubleheader is set to begin at 2 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex.
 
Augustana and Wayne State were originally scheduled to play on Wednesday, March 23, but moved the games to Tuesday because of the weather forecast.
 
The Vikings are coming off a 5-1 record at the Apple Market Classic in St. Joseph, Mo. this past weekend. Augustana enters NSIC play with a record of 13-9 on the season.
 
Augustana opened its season earlier than normal this season, playing six games in Hawaii in late January before playing 10 games in the month of February. The Vikings had nearly a month off before playing at the Apple Market Classic last weekend.
 
The Vikings enter the conference opener batting .324 as a team. Augustana has out-scored its opponents by 48 runs on the year and enter with 120 runs on the season. The Vikings have hit 38 doubles and 16 home runs.
 
Carly Peterson is leading the team in batting on the season hitting .378 with a team-high 10 doubles to go along with three home runs and 13 RBI. Maggie Kadrlik is batting .368 with six doubles, three home runs and a team-leading 18 RBI.
 
Carley Pickett turned in four strong performances in Missouri Last weekend, picking up three wins to improve her record to 7-4 on the season. Pickett has struck out 57 batters in 68.2 innings of work and owns a 2.65 ERA.
 
Karlee Koopman owns a 6-5 record and a 1.65 ERA and has tossed eight complete games in 11 starts. Koopman has struck out 39 batters in 72.1 innings pitched.
 
Wayne State enters NSIC play with a record of 5-14 on the season after going 1-4 in five games in Missouri last weekend.
 
Following Augustana's doubleheader at Wayne State on Tuesday, the Vikings are set to hit the road for a pair of NSIC twinbills. Augustana is scheduled to play at Minot State on Friday, March 25 at 1 p.m. and at U-Mary on Saturday at 12 p.m.