SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team will compete over three-straight days after a slight schedule adjustment for the upcoming weekend. Augustana, originally scheduled to play four games in St. Joseph, Missouri, will now play four contests in Emporia, Kansas, while continuing to keep its original schedule for Monday at Missouri Southern.
 
Augustana will face No. 23 Central Oklahoma and Emporia State on both Saturday and Sunday in Emporia, Kansas. The contests with UCO will take place at 10 a.m. each day while the games with ESU will begin at 2 p.m. each day.
 
The Vikings then travel to Missouri Southern on Monday for a doubleheader beginning at noon.
 
Live stats will be provided over all six games, while Sunday and Monday's contests can be viewed at GoAugie.com/Live.
 
About Augustana
Having not played a game since Feb. 28, the Vikings are ready to get back into action, sporting a 4-2 record while being ranked third in the nation. The 4-2 record came at the UT Tyler Irwin Invitational in Texas, as the Vikings split with the now-No. 2 ranked team, Texas A&M – Commerce. Augustana topped then-No. 4 UT Tyler at the invitational.
 
Coming out of the weekend of action, senior Kendall Cornick earned NSIC Player of the Week honors after hitting .429 with three home runs and nine RBI. Also having a strong weekend hitting were Abbie Lund and Amanda Dickmeyer, who tallied averages of .474 and .450, respectively, and crossed home plate six times apiece. Torri Chute joined Cornick with three home runs over the weekend.
 
In the circle, Ashley Mickschl and Amber Elliott each went 2-1 while Mickschl tallied 12 strikeouts and Elliott 16.
 
About Central Oklahoma
Central Oklahoma is 12-4 on the season and is ranked No. 23 in the latest NFCA Top-25. The Bronchos are coming off a 5-1 weekend, including a split with then-No. 12 Rogers State. Members of the MIAA, UCO was tabbed as the preseason favorites in the preseason coaches' poll.
 
Allie Eicher is the top hitter for UCO with a .444 batting average having played in all 16 games. She leads the team with three home runs but is third in RBI with 11. Hazel Puempel, the team leader with four doubles, leads the Bronchos with 13 RBI.
 
Four different pitchers have seen time in the circle with Corrina Rivas and Kylee Lynch each picking up six victories. Rivas has the edge with a 2.18 ERA while Lynch holds a 3.05 earned run average. However, it is Lynch who is leading the team with 27 strikeouts in 43.2 innings pitched.
 
About Emporia State
The Hornets own a 10-4 record but are coming off a sweep this past Tuesday at the hands of Pittsburg State. ESU went down 5-0 and 6-3 in the MIAA opener where the Hornets are picked to finish sixth.
 
Roni Raines leads the team with a .467 batting average, tallying 14 hits in 13 games played. She leads the squad with 13 RBI, but has not hit for power, as she has tallied just one home run and two doubles.
 
Emporia State has used five pitchers this season with four of them seeing extended time. The leader amongst the group is Kelsey Phillips who owns a 4-1 record and 1.13 ERA over 37.1 innings. She has struck out 26 while giving up 11 runs, however, just six of those runs have been earned.
 
About Missouri Southern
Missouri Southern enters the weekend with a 6-6 record. Prior to facing the Vikings, MSSU will play fellow NSIC schools Bemidji State, Minnesota State, Upper Iowa and Winona State.
 
Most recently, the Lions fell in a doubleheader at No. 25 Central Oklahoma, first a 5-4 loss, then a 9-0 setback. Members of the MIAA, MSSU was tabbed 11^th in the preseason poll.
 
Kara Amos leads the team in hitting with a .520 average in 25 at-bats and a pair of home runs. More power comes from Ashlynn Williams and her three home runs and 16 RBI while she slashes at a .378 average. A pair of pitchers have split the most time in the circle with Abby Atkin owning a 2-1 record and a 2.46 ERA while Amos is 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA.
 
Up Next
Augustana opens NSIC action on Tuesday, March 30 with a doubleheader at Wayne State.