ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Augustana University softball picked up a 7-6 victory over Concordia-St. Paul by the international tiebreaker in its opener at the Kelly Laas Memorial Softball Tournament hosted by St. Cloud State.
 
Augustana improved to 2-4 on the season with the win while the Golden Bears drop to 0-2.
 
Abby Chandler started the top of the eighth on second base due to the international tie breaker rule. Kylie Rome advanced her to third with a sacrifice bunt and Chandler scored the game-winning run on a passed ball to help the Vikings escape with the 7-6 win.
 
Augustana finished the game with a season-high 15 hits, led by Kaylea Schorr who was 3 for 4 with two runs scored.
 
The Vikings opened up a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, getting four runs on five hits. Kara McDougall led off the game with a single before moving up to second with a stolen base. CSP was able to get two straight outs before the Vikings reeled-off four straight hits. Christina Pickett drove in the game's first two runs with a double before Abby Chandler drove in a run with a single and Schorr stole home to give Augustana four-run cushion.
 
Augustana added a run in the top of the second on an RBI double by Sarah Kennedy that scored McDougall who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.
 
After opening up a 5-0 lead, Concordia-St. Paul answered with six runs in the bottom of the second inning with the big shot coming on a two-out three-run home run by Justine Schattner that gave her team a 6-5 lead.
 
Augustana tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the fifth getting an RBI double from Kylie Rome that scored Schorr who singled with one out in the inning to start the inning for the Vikings.
 
CSP left a runner on base in the bottom of the seventh and the game was tied headed to the eighth where the two teams would use the international tiebreaker to decide the contest.
 
Augustana returns to action in St. Cloud taking on Viterbo University at 8 p.m. Friday.