ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Augustana University softball extended its win streak to seven games with a pair of wins at the Missouri Western State Hy-Vee Classic on Friday afternoon. The Vikings opened the day with a 6-5 win in nine innings over No. 9 Central Oklahoma (14-4) before earning a 10-4 victory over Missouri Southern State (10-17).
 
Game one
Augustana scored two runs in extra innings and held No. 9 Central Oklahoma scoreless in the bottom of the ninth to earn a 6-5 win over the Bronchos. Olivia Wolters picked up the complete game victory for the Vikings, striking out six batters.
 
Sarah Kennedy and Abby Chandler combined for four of Augustana's eight hits on the day. Maggie Dunnett belted her first career home run in the win, helping Augustana take a 3-1 lead in the top of the second inning.
 
Augustana extended its lead to 4-1 in the top of the third inning when Kennedy drove in Kaylea Schorr, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
 
The Bronchos scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning to get within one at 4-3 before tying the game in the bottom of the seventh. UCO got a leadoff triple from Carrie Abrams. JoBi Heath drove Abrams in with a single to tie the game at 4-4.
 
Both teams plated a run in the eighth inning as the tournament used the international tiebreaker rule, with a runner starting on second base to start the inning. Abby Chandler drove in the game-winning run with a single in the top of the ninth.
 
Augustana got the lead runner out at third in the bottom of the ninth before turning a double play to end the game.
 
Game two
Augustana grabbed a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning and held off a late MSSU surge to pick up a win in the nightcap. The Vikings finished with 13 hits, including three home runs.
 
Lexy Pederson earned the win in the circle for the Vikings tossing 5.0 innings, striking out one batter while allowing two runs on six hits. Five Vikings had multiple hits in the game, led by Abby Chandler who finished 3 for 3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
 
Sarah Kennedy finished 2 for 4 with a double and a home run while driving in a run. Maggie Dunnett went 2 for 4 with a three-run home run while driving in a career-high four runs.
 
The Vikings took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Dunnett blasted her second career home run, a three-run shot to center field, giving Augustana an early lead.
 
Augustana added a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third to push its lead to 5-0. Samantha Eisenreich gave Augustana a six-run cushion in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff home run, her first career long ball making the score 6-0.
 
Missouri Southern scored two runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 6-2 game but the Vikings answered with a pair in the home-half of the inning. With two outs in the inning, Kara McDougall walked and stole second before coming around to score on an RBI single by Chandler. Chandler moved up to second on a throw to home on her RBI single and came around to score on an RBI single by Dunnett pushing Augustana's lead to 8-2.
 
The Lions scored two runs on three hits in the top of the sixth to get within four at 8-4 but Kennedy answered right back in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run pushing Augustana's lead back up to six at 10-4.
 
Augustana returns to action with two more games on Saturday. The Vikings will take on Fort Hays State at 10 a.m. and Washburn at 2 p.m.