SIOUX FALLS – Augustana surrendered a run in the top of the first inning of Thursday's NSIC Tournament opener against Concordia-St. Paul, and even though the Vikings bounced back with three runs in their half if the first, the Golden Bears scored the next four runs, including two in the top of the ninth inning to secure the 5-3 win.
 
The loss drops the No. 2 seed Vikings to 37-12 on the season, and sends them into the bottom of the bracket, where they square off with either No. 6 seed Sioux Falls or No. 9 seed Minot State on Friday at 10 a.m. at Sherman Park. The No. 8 seed Golden Bears improve to 30-22, and advance to play No. 3 seed Minnesota Duluth on Friday at noon, also at Sherman Park.
 
The first four Golden Bears batters reached base, giving them the early 1-0 lead, but Vikings starter Ashley Mickschl settled in and struck out the next two batters before inducing a 1-3 putout to end the threat.
 
It didn't take long for the Vikings to respond, as Kaylea Schorr lead-off with a single, advanced to second on a Mickschl sacrifice and to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Kylie Rome single to tie the game at 1-1.
 
That brought up Shannon Petersen, who singled, followed by Maggie Kadrlik, who got hit by a pitch to load the bases for Christina Pickett, who delivered a single to score Rome from third. Morgan Beaner came up next and grounded out, but that allowed Petersen to score and put the Vikings up 3-1.
 
Still 3-1 Vikings into the fourth, Concordia-St. Paul strung together three hits to plate one run, which cut the lead to 3-2, and then got one more in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3.
 
Knotted at 3-3 into the sixth, the Golden Bears started the frame with a pair of hits, and both runners advanced into scoring position, but Mickschl pitched out of the jam to keep the game tied into the Vikings half of the sixth.
 
The game went into the ninth tied 3-3, when Concordia-St. Paul broke through with a single, a sacrifice and another single to plate the go-ahead run with two outs, and then added an unearned insurance run to take a 5-3 lead into the bottom half of the ninth.
 
Kendall Cornick led off the Vikings half of the ninth with a single, but she did not advance, which secured the win for the Golden Bears.
 
Schorr led the Vikings offense with a 3 for 5 day at the plate with a run scored, with Rome and Petersen both adding a pair of hits. Mickschl took the loss in the circle, which drops her to 16-6. She surrendered five runs, four earned, on 14 hits, with no walks and seven strikeouts.