HOUSTON, Texas -- The No. 1 Augustana Softball team started strong on Saturday, scoring multiple runs in the first frames on its way to a pair of wins at the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational. The Vikings began the day with an 8-4 win over Angelo State and concluded Saturday with a five-inning, 9-1 route of St. Mary's. 

Augustana (3-1) finishes up the weekend with two more games on Sunday afternoon in the Lone Star State. The Vikings take on a pair of ranked opponents in No. 10 Texas A&M-Commerce (10 a.m.) and finish up with No. 21 Tarleton State (3 p.m.).

Game One
For the third-straight game, the Vikings scored a run in their first at-bat. With the bases loaded, Kendall Cornick walked, scoring Mary Pardo from third. Moments later, Amber Elliott reached on an error at second, allowing Ashley Mickschl and Christina Pickett to make it a 2-0 game.

Mickschl (2-0) took the circle in game one and dealt another strong performance. In six innings of work, the junior scattered just five hits and collected seven strikeouts. Olivia Wolters pitched the final frame for the Vikings. 

In the third, Kara McDougall picked up her second RBI of the year on a single through the left side, scoring Abbie Lund. Moments later, a Mary Pardo ground out doubled the lead to 4-0.

Christina Pickett ended the third with a solid single to left-center, and after three complete, the Vikings staked a 6-0 lead. 

Although Angelo state found some offense in the sixth, Lund collected her first RBI triple of the season, scoring Becca Koupal for the Vikings eighth and final run. 

On her 21st birthday, Lund finished the two games 5-6 with two runs scored and an RBI

Game Two
The story of game two was the Viking power surge. After not hitting any round-trippers in the first two games of the year, Augustana crushed a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, in game two. 

Amber Elliott got her first start and win of the season, twirling a complete-game three-hitter. Elliott collected seven strikeouts in just five innings of work, allowing one run.

In the top of the first, Mickschl started the scoring with a two-run home run to left center. Now leading 2-0, Mary Pardo continued the offense with a RBI double in the second, scoring Kara McDougall. 

The Vikings made it three straight innings with a run as Cornick collected a RBI ground out in the third. McDougall added her second hit of the day on an RBI single in the fourth, making it 5-0 Vikings.

Pardo put the exclamation of Saturday's nightcap in the fifth. With the bases loaded, the reigning NSIC Freshman of the Year blasted a Grand Slam to straight center, clearing the bases for the Vikings second home run of the day.