SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Following an NSIC conference title and NCAA Central Region II championship, the No. 15 Augustana softball team now looks to continue their historic season this weekend at the NCAA Super Regionals. 

Augustana takes on No. 1 Central Oklahoma in a three-game series, starting on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Edmond, Okla. The two programs meet again on Friday in game two (4 p.m.) and will play an if-necessary game three Friday night. The winner of the super regional clinches a berth in the DII Women's College World Series in Denver, Colorado, May 23-27.

Fan interested in following the games this weekend can click here. Augustana softball will also provide updates via twitter, which can be viewed here.

Augustana, who is one of 16 teams remaining in the nation, is looking for the programs fifth-ever berth to the world series. Gretta Melsted was the most recent head coach to accomplish the feat, winning the 2012 super regional.  

Earlier this season, Augustana and Central Oklahoma squared up in the Missouri Western tournament with the Vikings walking away with a 4-0 win. Shannon Petersen drove in a pair of Augustana runs and Ashley Mickschl pitched a complete-game shutout for Augustana. However, both teams have shown improvement since the March matchup, including conference and region I/II titles.

Most recently, Augustana is coming off a thrilling week in Winona, Minn. where the Vikings captured the central region II title. Augustana outlasted Winona State 3-2 in the title game, but it was the four-game tournament where the Viking received contributions up and down their lineup. Kara McDougall led the team with six hits (.545 BA), Shannon Petersen had five RBI, and clutch home runs from Samantha Eisenreich and Christina Pickett helped the Vikings to the region title.

The Viking pitching staff was also impressive, going 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA. Mickschl totaled 12 strikeouts in 15 IP, Amber Elliott allowed just two runs all weekend, and Olivia Wolters pitched three-plus innings in the final game to seal the title for Augustana. 

Overall this season, All-America candidate Maggie Kadrlik continues to push the Vikings from the plate. The fifth-year senior is having one of the best seasons in Augustana history, ranking top-10 in slugging percentage (.832), on-base percentage (.507) and RBI (62). Nationally, Kadrlik and freshman Mary Pardo are both 4th in the nation in total bases with 144. Pardo is already 9th all-time for home runs in a single season with 16.
 
Fellow seniors Petersen, Eisenreich, and Maggie Dunnett have also played a big role in Augustana's success.  An All-Region selection, Petersen is hitting .365 from the plate with 17 doubles, 12 home runs, and 62 RBI. As a team, Augustana is hitting .349, which is fourth in the nation.

Another All-Region pick, Eisenreich is having a career season in her final campaign on campus, setting career-best marks in hits (58), RBI (41), home run (41) and slugging percentage (.608). Dunnett has also been impressive, hitting more home runs this year (13) than the last three years combined. Dunnett has played and started in all 64 games for the Vikings, hitting above .300 in nearly 200 at-bats. 

Augustana has had the most success this season when they can do two things: grab an early lead and out-hit the opposition. The Vikings are 24-1 when they score in the first inning, and 45-1 when leading after the fourth inning. The Vikings are 49-4 when they rack up more hits than their opponent. 

Scouting Central Oklahoma:

Similar to Augustana, Central Oklahoma (48-6) is led by 10 all-conference performers, including five first-team selections. The Broncho's have the MIAA Pitcher of the Year in Bailey Mckittrick as well as the league's Player of the Year in JoBi Heath and Coach of the Year in Cody White. 

Mckittrick has appeared in 35 games, making 25 starts and holding down a 26-3 record and 1.84 ERA. Look for UCO to also use junior Sydney McLeod, who is 19-3 this season with a 1.39 ERA and 65 strikeouts. From the plate, Heath is hitting .403 with 14 home runs, a .773 slugging percentage, and national-best 74 RBI. Although UCO doesn't hit a ton of home runs (37) they make up for it by getting on base. They're third in the nation in batting average (.350), third in doubles (2.11/game) and fifth in on-base percentage (.439). Overall, Central Oklahoma is 11-2 in their last 13 games.