ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Augustana University softball continued its winning ways, picking up two more victories to run its win streak to nine games, defeating Fort Hays State 8-0 and Washburn 6-3. With the two wins, Augustana improved to 14-6 on the season.
 
Game one
Lexy Pederson threw a two-hit complete game shutout to help Augustana earn an 8-0 win over Fort Hays State on Saturday morning. Pederson struck out five batters and walked just one, to earn her sixth win of the season.
 
Augustana finished with 14 hits, getting a career-high four from Kaylea Schorr. Schorr finished 4 for 5 with a double. Christina Pickett and Kylie Rome each added a pair of hits for the Vikings.
 
The Vikings grabbed an early lead, scoring three runs on three hits and two FHSU errors in the top of the first to go in front 3-0. Rome delivered a two-out RBI single to put Augustana in front 1-0 and Kara McDougall followed with a two-RBI single to left to put the Vikings up by three runs.
 
Fort Hays State got a two-out single in the bottom of the first but Pederson got out of the inning with no damage done and the offense went back to work. Maggie Dunnett singled to lead off the inning before moving into scoring position stealing second base. Samantha Eisenreich drove Dunnett in with a single to center field to stretch Augustana's lead to 4-0.
 
Schorr welcomed a new pitcher with a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third and Kennedy stepped to the plate and drove in Eisenreich with a single to push Augustana's lead to 5-0.
 
Augustana and Fort Hays State played three scoreless innings until the Vikings plated an unearned run in the top of the sixth to take a six-run lead. Christina Pickett drove in a pair of runs in the top of the seventh with a double to right field that pushed Augustana's lead to 8-0.
 
Game two
Augustana used a four-run bottom of the sixth inning to earn a 6-3 win over Washburn (12-21) and pick up its ninth straight win. The Vikings finished the game with 15 hits, getting multi-hit performances from six different players.
 
Sarah Kennedy led the Vikings going 3 for 4 with a pair of home runs and five RBI. Shannon Petersen was 3 for 4 and Kaylea Schorr added two hits and an RBI.
 
Olivia Wolters earned her sixth win of the season getting the complete-game victory. Wolters struck out 10 batters in the win.
 
Washburn took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning but the Vikings quickly cut the lead in half when Kennedy hit her first home run of the game, a solo shot, that made the score 2-1 in the home half of the first. The Ichabods got a two-out RBI double in the top of the second to go back in front by two at 3-1.
 
Kennedy drove in Augustana's second run of the game in the bottom of the second to get the Vikings back within one at 3-2 before both pitchers dug in to toss a combined three and a half scoreless innings.
 
The Vikings came up big in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs on six hits to take a 6-3 lead. Abby Chandler singled to lead off the inning before moving up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Maggie Dunnett. Samantha Eisenreich singled and stole second to put two runners into scoring position for Kaylea Schorr. Schorr singled and drove in Chandler to tie the game at 3-3 and Kennedy stepped to the plate and belted her second home run of the game, a three-run shot that put Augustana up 6-3.
 
Washburn got a leadoff single in the top of the seventh inning but Wolters got two straight strikeouts and a pop out to end the threat.
 
Augustana will close-out its six-game trip to the Missouri Western State Hy-Vee Classic with two more games on Sunday. The Vikings play Central Missouri at 11 a.m. before taking on Pittsburg State at 3 p.m.