NSIC Softball Tournament Bracket

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Following a 55-game regular season, the No. 14 Augustana softball team (47-8, 27-3 NSIC) is ready to make a run in the postseason. First up, the Vikings start play in the NSIC softball tournament, which takes place May 2-4 at RYFSA Complex in Rochester, Minnesota. 

Augustana earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and will play the highest seed remaining from the opening-round play-in games. The opening-round games are (7) Minot State vs. (10) Sioux Falls, and (9) SMSU vs. (8) Upper Iowa. Regardless of who the Vikings play, the game time is set for 2 p.m. on Thursday on field 'B' at the RYFSA Complex.

The top ten teams in the final regular season standings will participate in the double-elimination tournament. Winona State earned the number one seed after finished league play with a 30-0 record. Augustana is looking for their first NSIC tournament title since 2012. 

The Vikings enter the postseason as one of the most potent offensive teams in the nation. Augustana stands third in the country in team batting average, hitting .357 this season. The Vikings have also hit for power, sitting 15th in doubles per game (1.86) ninth in home runs per game (1.25) and fourth in slugging percentage (.589).

Nearly every student-athlete on the Vikings roster has contributed to the team success, starting at the top of the order. Freshman Mary Pardo has four home runs and eight RBI in her last six games and is currently second on the team with 13 home runs this season. Pardo, who is a prime candidate for Freshman of the Year, is hitting .365 while playing and starting in all 55 games this year. 

With 1.21 runs per games, Kendall Cornick is top-10 in the nation in runs scored. Part of Cornick's success can be contributed to the Viking clean up hitters, most notably Maggie Kadrlik and Shannon Petersen. Kadrlik might be one of the hottest hitters in the nation, coming off a dominating six-game stretch. The reigning NSIC Player the Week hit .850 (17-20) with six home runs and 13 RBI. Petersen, who was named the player of the week two weeks ago, is 4th in the NSIC with 56 RBI and 11 home runs. 

The Augustana pitching staff has been just as impressive as the offense. The Viking finish the regular season with a 1.69 ERA, which ranks ninth in the nation for DII. Augustana has also collected shutouts in 16 games this season, which is the ninth-most in the country. Individually, Ashley Mickschl is 12th in the nation with 21 wins, Olivia Wolters is 22nd with a 1.46 ERA, and Amber Elliott is 39th with 7.8 strikeouts-to-walk ratio.

Regardless of whom they play throughout the postseason, the key for the Vikings will be limiting the opposition's offense. Augustana is 39-0 when limiting the team to two runs or less, compared to just 1-4 when allowing six-plus runs. The Vikings have also been dominate when they secured a lead in the first four frames - Augustana is 40-1 when leading in the top of the fifth. 

Following the NSIC tournament, Augustana participates in the NCAA central region tournament, which takes place May 9-11 at the location of the two highest seeds.