BISMARCK, N.D. – The Augustana softball team took a pair of games Sunday, topping UMary 7-1 and 10-0 in Bismarck, North Dakota. Augustana, the nation's top-ranked team, pushes its win streak to 13 games and its record to 27-3. Within the NSIC, the Vikings are 15-1 and three games ahead in first place.
 
Mary Pardo tallied a pair of home runs and was 3-for-4 with five runs scored and four walks. Amber Elliott, who picked up her NSIC-leading 14^th win of the season, carried a no-hitter deep into game two.
 
Game One: No. 1 Augustana 7, UMary 1
It was an untypical slow start for the Vikings but after leading 2-1 after six innings, AU piled on five runs in the seventh for the 7-1 win. Pitcher Ashley Mickschl continued her dominance in the circle, striking out eight, walking none and giving up just five hits in the seven-inning complete game.
 
Although the offense got off to a slow start, Mary Pardo did not as she took the first pitch of the game deep for a 1-0 lead. She homered into left field for her 12^th long-shot of the season.
 
The Vikings made it 2-0 in the fifth as Pardo crossed home plate on a double from Kendall Cornick. Pardo reached base on a walk and quickly stole second base.
 
UMary worked the basepaths in the bottom of the fifth and was able to scratch a run across the scoreboard for a 2-1 score.
 
After a quick sixth inning, the Vikings got the offense moving in the seventh thanks to patience at the plate.
 
Olivia Hazelbaker scored on a bases-loaded walk to Pardo to start the scoring. On another bases-loaded walk, Amanda Dickmeyer crossed home plate. Torri Chute then hit a comebacker to the pitcher but scored Abbie Lund with the 5-1 score. Abby Lien then stepped up to the plate and scored Brink and Pardo for the 7-1 score.
 
Mickschl then shut down the Marauder offense in the bottom of the seventh for her 13^th win of the season.
 
Augustana got hits from six different spots in the order while Pardo tallied three runs scored and two RBI. Pardo also swiped two bases while Dickmeyer and Lund each tallied a stolen base.
 
Game Two: No. 1 Augustana 10, UMary 0
Augustana plated 10 runs on eight hits while Amber Elliott didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Augustana's offensive outburst pushed the 10-0, run-rule victory.
 
The Vikings got the offense going early in this one, putting three runs on the scoreboard in the first. Mary Pardo scored on a Torri Chute single. On a fielder's choice for Kennedy Buckman, Gracey Brink scored to make it 2-0. One batter later, with the bases loaded, Amanda Dickmeyer walked which scored Chute for the early 3-0 advantage.
 
In the second, Pardo knocked her second home run of the day for a 4-0 lead while Abby Lien brought in Gracey Brink just a few batters later.
 
Delaney Young then got in on the home run action with a long-shot to center field for a convincing 7-0 lead just two innings in.
 
After a scoreless third inning, Augustana then plated three more runs in the fourth. Two runs came from a Young double into center field, scoring both Chute and Lien. The final run of the game came off a Dickmeyer single, scoring Young.
 
While the Vikings were busy scoring runs, Elliott was busy setting down the side inning-after-inning. In all, she struck out six, allowed just one hit, gave just one free pass and pitched four shutout innings. In the fifth, she was replaced by Makayla Williams who struck out one and didn't allow a hit.
 
Young ended the game 2-for-2 with four RBI and two runs scored while Chute was 2-for-2 with three runs scored. Mary Pardo also tallied two hits in the game while scoring two runs.
 
Up Next
The Vikings return to Sioux Falls but travels a few blocks from the Augustana campus on Wednesday to face USF in a doubleheader at Sherman Park. The first game is slated for 2 p.m.