SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana University softball opened its home schedule and NSIC play with a sweep over Wayne State (6-20, 0-2 NSIC) on Tuesday afternoon. The Vikings (17-7, 2-0 NSIC) won the opener 3-0 before picking up a 10-1 win in six innings in the nightcap.
 
Game one
Olivia Wolters (7-3) held Wayne State to just three hits in a complete-game shutout victory for the Vikings in the circle. Augustana scored one run in the third, fourth and fifth innings to win the opener 3-0.
 
Samantha Eisenreich led the Vikings at the plate going 2 for 3 with a pair of singles and a run scored.
 
Augustana grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third, scoring a run on one hit and two WSC errors. Maggie Dunnett reached on an error to lead off the inning and before the Wildcats allowed the play to go dead, she stole second. Eisenreich moved Dunnett to third on a bunt single but she was thrown out trying to swipe second base on the play.
 
Kaylea Schorr then reached on a throwing error and Dunnett made it home safely to score the game's first run.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Kara McDougall reached on an error and stole second, setting up Abby Chandler who drove her in with a single up the middle to put the Vikings in front 2-0.
 
The Vikings strung together three hits in the bottom of the fifth and plated another run to take a 3-0 lead. Augustana got three straight singles in the fifth and Kennedy drove in Eisenreich for the third run of the game.
 
Wolters held the Wildcats hitless in the final two innings and the Vikings put together another threat in the sixth, but left the bases loaded, and would go on to win the opener 3-0.
 
Game two
Wayne State took the first lead of the afternoon in game two, but the Vikings scored 10 unanswered to win the nightcap 10-1 in six innings.
 
Augustana finished with 11 hits, getting two each from Kaylea Schorr, Christina Pickett, Shannon Petersen and Kylie Rome.
 
Kennedy was 1 for 3 in game two, picking up hear team-leading 12th double of the year. Pickett (2 for 4) hit her third home run of the year and drove in five runs while Petersen added a home run and two RBI.
 
Lexy Pederson (9-3) earned her ninth win of the season in the circle for the Vikings, tossing all six innings while allowing just one unearned run on six hits.
 
Wayne State scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, but Pederson stopped the bleeding getting a strikeout to leave two runners on.
 
The offense picked her right up in the bottom of the first as Pickett delivered a one-out RBI double to the gap in right center to score Schorr who led off the inning with a walk. Petersen then stepped to the plate and took the first pitch she saw to left field to drive in Pickett and make it a 2-1 game.
 
After two quick outs in the bottom of the second, Schorr and Kennedy delivered back-to-back doubles and the Vikings stretched their lead to 3-1. Kennedy came around to score when Pickett reached on an error and Augustana held a 4-1 lead.
 
The Wildcats put together a threat in the top of the fourth inning, loading the bases, before Pederson slammed the door shut leaving all three runners on to maintain the three-run lead.
 
With two outs in the fifth, Petersen belted a solo home run to left field to make the score 5-1 and the Vikings piled on five more in the sixth to earn the run-rule victory at 10-1.
 
Abby Chandler and Maggie Dunnett started the sixth with back-to-back singles. After Eisenreich reached on a fielder's choice, Schorr got on with an infield single to load the bases. Kennedy earned a bases-loaded walk to push Augustana's lead to 6-1 and Pickett took a 1-0 pitch deep to left field for a grand slam to give Augustana the 10-1 win.
 
Augustana will hit the road for a pair of NSIC twinbills this weekend. The Vikings take on Minnesota State at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Mankato, Minnesota before squaring-off against Concordia-St. Paul in a doubleheader at 12 p.m. Sunday in St. Paul.