CROOKSTON, Minn. – Augustana University softball out-hit Minnesota Crookston (11-32-1, 1-20-1 NSIC) 28-5 in a doubleheader sweep on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings finished with 13 hits to win the opener 8-2 before picking up 15 hits in a 3-0 win in game two.
 
With the sweep, Augustana improves to 33-11 on the season, including 18-4 in NSIC play. Today's win puts 11th-year head coach Gretta Melsted just one win shy of 500 for her career. Melsted owns a career record of 499-281, including 418-190 in 11 seasons at Augustana.
 
Game one
Senior shortstop Sarah Kennedy tied a single game record with three doubles, giving her 25 on the season which ties her own single season record, to lead Augustana past Minnesota Crookston 8-2 in game one.
 
The Vikings pounded 13 hits in the opener getting a 4 for 4 performance from Kennedy who finished with three doubles and four RBI. Abby Chandler was 3 for 4 with three singles and Samantha Eisenreich added two hits, including her fifth home run of the year.
 
Lexy Pederson picked up the complete-game victory in the circle for the Vikings to improve to 17-4 on the year. Pederson struck out a season-high 13 batters while holding the Golden Eagles to just three hits.
 
Kennedy scored the game's first run in the top of the first after getting her first double of the game with one out in the inning. Christina Pickett singled to right to drive in Kennedy and give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.
 
Kennedy came through in the top of the second with a bases-loaded single to score two runs and put the Vikings in front 3-0.
 
Minnesota Crookston hit a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the second inning to make the score 3-2 but Pederson struck out the side.
 
Augustana answered in the top of the fourth to extend its lead to 5-2 after a two-run home run by Eisenreich. Eisenreich started another rally in the sixth with a leadoff single. Kaylea Schorr followed with a single and Kennedy ripped her third double of the game to drive in two more runs and give the Vikings a 7-2 lead.
 
Pederson struck out two more batters in the sixth and Maggie Dunnett added an insurance run with a solo home run in the top of the seventh to give her team a six-run lead at 8-2. Pederson struck out the side for the third time of the game in the bottom of the seventh to secure her 17th win of the year.
 
Game two
Augustana pounded 15 hits in game two earning a 3-0 win to pick up a sweep over the Golden Eagles. Kaylea Schorr and Christina Pickett led the Vikings with three hits each while Pickett drove in two of Augustana's three runs.
 
The Vikings finished the game with five doubles, including two from Kylie Rome, who finished 2 for 4 with an RBI.
 
Olivia Wolters tossed all seven innings for the complete-game shutout win to improve to 14-6. Wolters held the Golden Eagles to just two hits while striking out five.
 
Schorr led off the game with her first triple of the season and two batters later she scored the game's first run on an RBI single by Pickett putting the Viking up 1-0.
 
Augustana started the second with two straight singles but was unable to push a runner bast second base. Kennedy led off the second with her 26th double of the season, setting a new single season record surpassing her previous total of 25 in 2015. Pickett then singled up the middle on a 1-0 pitch to drive in her second run of the game and give Augustana a 2-0 lead.
 
Wolters did not allow a hit after the fourth inning and the Vikings used a pair of doubles in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 3-0. Pickett doubled down the left field line to lead off the seventh and two batters later, Rome belted her second double of the game to score Pickett and give the Vikings a three-run lead.
 
Augustana will play its final road games of the regular season tomorrow afternoon taking on Bemidji State in a doubleheader at 12 p.m. in Bemidji, Minnesota.