HOUSTON, Texas -- A strong start helped propel the nation's top team to a opening-day win in Texas. In game one of the day, No. 1 Augustana Softball scored the games first seven runs en route to a 8-4 victory over No. 15 Cameron. The Vikings couldn't carry the momentum into game two, falling 3-2 to Texas Woman's University. 

In game one, junior ace Ashley Mickschl went the distance to collect the win and Delaney Young led the Vikings with three RBI. In game two, Olivia Wolters tossed a complete game and four Vikings collected a pair of hits. 

Game One
Augustana started rolling from the top of the first frame. Mickschl sliced a single to left-center, and following a pair of walks from Chistina Pickett and Olivia Hazelbaker, Delany Young stepped in and connected on a two-RBI single to right. A fielding error platted Hazelbaker to make it 3-0.

Two-time All-America selection Ashley Mickschl was impressive in the circle, allowing no-hits through the first three innings. Mickschl (1-0) finished the day with seven innings pitched, seven strikeouts, and just five hits allowed. 

The Vikings added to the advantage in the third. Mickschl made it 2-2 from the dish with a single, and after Pickett's second walk and a hit-by-pitch, Hazelbaker collected her first-career RBI on a sac-fly to center. Moments later, Young made it a 6-0 game with her second RBI single of the day.

Before the third inning was over, Augustana added another run on a single from Abbie Lun. The sophomore's seventh-career RBI pushed the lead 7-0 after three. 

The Aggies stuck around in the fourth, scoring four runs on four hits and a pair of errors. A 7-4 game to start the fifth, Lund added an RBI bunt-single, scoring run for games final run.

Game Two
For the second-straight game, Augustana used the first at-bat of the game to score the first run. Mary Pardo started in the inning with a single, and after Mickschl walked, Pickett flew out to shallow center and a ensuing rundown allowed Pardo time to score. 

Olivia Wolters took the circle in game two, and although she allowed a run to tie the game in the bottom of the first, settled in to collect four strikeouts in four innings of work. 

However, the Pioneers had another answer in the 4th. Following a double down the left field line in the third, TWU jumped ahead with a 2-1 lead. 

Now trailing 3-1 in the sixth, the Vikings loaded the bases and Kara McDougall came up clutch with an RBI single. On the next at-bat, Pardo connect on a liner, but the Pioneers used 6-4 fielder's choice to end the inning. 

Augustana threatened in the seventh and final inning, but couldn't find the game-tying and or game-winning runs. Wolters finished a complete-game effort, allowing two runs and five hits. Augustana totaled 10 hits, compared to just five for TWU.

The Vikings are back in action on Saturday, taking on Angelo State at 3 p.m. and St. Mary's (TX) at 5:30 p.m.