SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana University softball returns to action on Tuesday, April 5, with a doubleheader against USF at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls. The Vikings and Cougars were originally scheduled to play on Wednesday but moved up one day due to the weather forecast.
 
First pitch between the Vikings (22-11, 9-2 NSIC) and Cougars (26-9, 10-2 NSIC) is set for 4 p.m.
 
Following Tuesday's doubleheader at USF, Augustana will return to Bowden Field to host a pair of twinbills on the weekend. Augustana will take on Bemidji State on Saturday at 12 p.m. before hosting Minnesota Crookston at 12 p.m. Sunday.
 
First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge
• Augustana and USF will play for a point in the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge on Tuesday
• Augustana currently leads USF 8.5-0.5 in the 2015-16 Mayor's Cup Challenge
 
The First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge is a head-to-head competition in 16 common, equally weighted sports at each school with each victory earning points towards the overall series championship. The Mayor's Cup Challenge also recognizes academic success and community engagement. Augustana has won the Mayor's Cup Challenge all three years of competition. The Vikings won the Inaugural Mayor's Cup Challenge by a score of 13-6 before winning 14-5 in 2013-14 and 11.5-7.5 in 2014-15. For more information on the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge, visit SFMayorscup.com.
 
Last time out
• Augustana swept MSU Moorhead and Northern State in a pair of NSIC twinbills at home last weekend
• Augustana defeated MSU Moorhead 17-0 in game one and 9-3 in game two on Saturday
• The Vikings then picked up a 6-2 win in game one over Northern State before winning 6-5 in extra innings in game two on Sunday
• The offense carried the Vikings on the weekend to four straight wins
• Augustana batted .418 with four doubles and 10 home runs leading to 38 runs in four games on the weekend
 
Pickett sets all-time saves record
• Senior left-handed pitcher Carley Pickett set the all-time saves record in a win over MSU Moorhead on Saturday
• Pickett recorded her 19th career save to give her the all-time career saves record
• Pickett passed Chelsey Durland who recorded 18 saves from 2009-12
• Pickett has led the NSIC in saves in two straight seasons
• As a sophomore in 2014, Pickett led the country with nine saves
 
Offensively speaking
• Augustana's offense continues to roll during the 2016 season
• Augustana leads the NSIC with a team batting average of .337 on the season
• The Vikings rank second in the NSIC in run scored (211), first in doubles (57) and second in home runs (37)
• Augustana ranks 15th in the country averaging 1.85 doubles per game
 
Run producers
• Augustana has five players with 21 or more RBI on the season
• Maggie Kadrlik leads the team with 39 RBI in 2016
• Sarah Kennedy has driven in 34 runs and Shannon Petersen ranks third on the team with 26
 
Home sweet home
• After playing 29 games away from home, Augustana opened the home portion of its schedule this past weekend
• The Vikings will play eight straight games in Sioux Falls, including six at Bowden Field following Tuesday's game at USF
• Augustana's bats enjoyed the home field advantage in the first four games of the season batting .418 as a team with four doubles and 10 home runs
• Augustana scored 38 runs last weekend
 
Sophomore stepping up
• Sophomore Maggie Kadrlik is batting .381 for the Vikings in 2016 and currently ranks second in the NSIC with 10 home runs
• Kadrlik also ranks second in the NSIC with 39 RBI on the season
• Kadrlik has driven in two or more runs in a game 11 times in 2016, including a career-high six at U-Mary on March 25
• In four games last weekend, Kadrlik batted .615 with two home runs and a double
• Kadrlik hit a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh against Northern State in game two to send the game into extra innings
• She has hit three home runs in the last five games
 
Leading things off
• Senior center fielder Carly Peterson continues to rip the ball all over the park out of the leadoff spot for the Vikings
• Peterson is batting .381 to go along with a .462 on-base percentage and a .646 slugging percentage
• Peterson is tied for the league-lead with 13 doubles on the season
• Peterson also has hit one triple and five home runs in 2016
• She has driven in 23 runs and scored a team-high 37 for the Vikings
• Peterson ranks second in the NSIC in runs scored
 
On a roll
• Junior shortstop Sarah Kennedy is batting .373 on the season for the Vikings with 11 doubles and five home runs
• Kennedy ranks third overall in the NSIC in doubles and third with 34 RBI on the season
• Kennedy had two hits in 3 of 4 games at home last weekend
• Kennedy has also scored 29 runs on the year and ranks second on the team with 13 walks
• Kennedy recently had an eight-game hitting streak snapped but she has at least one hit in 11 of the last 13 games
 
Pickett producing at the plate
• Senior left-handed pitcher Carley Pickett is having a breakout season as a batter for the Vikings
• Pickett continues to lead the team at the plate batting .414 on the season which ranks 11th in the NSIC
• Pickett is currently riding a season-long 12-game hitting streak, putting her one shy of her career-long
• Pickett leads the team with 46 hits and has seven doubles and 11 RBI
• Pickett also leads the team with 14 walks on the season and has scored the second-most runs (30) on the team
 
In the circle
• Carley Pickett and Karlee Koopman have shared the starting pitching duties throughout the 2016 season
• Pickett has appeared in 23 games, making 15 starts
• Koopman has started 16 games and made 19 appearances
• Pickett has compiled a 2.45 ERA in 114.1 innings of work in 2016
• She owns a 13-6 record and has struck out a team-high 82 batters
• Pickett has tossed 10 complete games and four shutouts on the season
• Pickett has also recorded two saves in 2016
• Koopman owns an 8-5 record and a 1.98 ERA?in 19 appearances
• Koopman is holding opponents to a .269 batting average and has struck out 54 batters in 95.1 innings pitched