SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana University softball swept Concordia-St. Paul in an NSIC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Bowden Field. The Vikings hit a pair of home runs to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth in a 3-0 win in game one before holding off the Golden Bears to win game two 8-5.
 
With the sweep, Augustana snapped a five-game winning streak and improve to 32-16 on the season, including 20-7 in NSIC play. Concordia-St. Paul is now 12-34 overall on the season and 6-20 in conference play.
 
Augustana honored its three seniors in between games today at Bowden Field. Seniors Maddie Merriam, Carly Peterson and Carley Pickett were joined by their families to celebrate their outstanding careers at Augustana that has included three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2015 NSIC Regular Season Championship.  
 
Game one
Augustana broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning getting back-to-back home runs from Maggie Kadrlik and Shannon Petersen in a 3-0 win in the opener.
 
The Vikings finished the game with eight hits, getting two each from Shannon Petersen and Carly Peterson. Maggie Kadrlik was 1 for 2 with a home run and two RBI.
 
Carley Pickett earned her 20th win of the season in the circle for the Vikings tossing six scoreless innings while striking out six. Karlee Koopman came in to work the seventh inning with two runners on and nobody out. She stranded both runners and earned her first save of the season (second career).
 
Augustana looked to get out to a fast start loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first inning but the Vikings would leave the bases loaded.
 
The Vikings left two runners on in both the second and fourth innings before scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Sarah Kennedy reached on a one out single in the fifth and Kadrlik jumped on the first pitch she saw hitting a two run shot down the right field line, her 13th home run of the season, giving Augustana a 2-0 lead.
 
Petersen followed that with her 12th home run of the season taking a 1-1 pitch over the fence in right field putting Augustana in front 3-0.
 
Concordia-St. Paul put two runners on in both the sixth and seventh innings but Pickett and Koopman teamed up to shut the Golden Bears down to snap the team's five-game losing streak.
 
Game two
Augustana scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and held off a late comeback attempt by the Golden Bears in the top of the seventh to win game two 8-5.
 
The Vikings were led at the plate by Maggie Kadrlik who finished 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and five RBI. Kaylea Schorr was 3 for 4 for the Vikings with three singles.
 
Karlee Koopman earned her 12th win of the season to improve to 12-8 holding the Golden Bears to five runs, two earned, on six hits while striking out four.
 
The Vikings came out swinging once again in the bottom of the first getting back-to-back one-out singles before leaving a pair of runners on to end the inning.
 
Augustana was able to break through in the third to take a 1-0 lead when Carly Peterson scored on a wild pitch. Peterson led off the inning with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Carley Pickett. Peterson moved to third on a ground out by Kadrlik and scored on a wild pitch to give Augustana its first lead of the game.
 
Concordia-St. Paul responded with two runs in the top of the fourth, starting with a leadoff home run from Liz Jarosz that tied the game at 1-1. The Golden Bears took a 2-1 lead when Kelly McKenzie reached on an error with two outs that allowed a run to score.
 
Augustana answered right back with five runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead at 6-2. Peterson tied the game when she reached on a fielder's choice to drive in a run. On the same play, Morgan Beaner came around to score on a throwing error by the Golden Bears to make it a 3-2 game. Three batters later, Kadrlik ripped a double to the gap in right center to clear the bases and put Augustana in front 6-2.
 
Kadrlik extended Augustana's lead in the bottom of the sixth when she hit her team-leading 14th home run of the season, a two-run shot that gave the Vikings an 8-2 lead.
 
The Golden Bears did not go away quietly scoring three runs on two hits and one Augustana error to get within three at 8-5. Koopman was able to end the threat and leave the bases loaded to help the Vikings sweep the Golden Bears.
 
Augustana will close-out the regular season Sunday afternoon hosting Minnesota State in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. at Bowden Field.