SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team claimed a game one victory over Sioux Falls, 4-3, then fell 2-1 in game two at Sherman Park Thursday afternoon.
 
The Vikings, ranked No. 1 in the nation, hold an overall record of 28-4 with a 16-2 mark in the NSIC after the split. Sioux Falls is 15-16, 9-8.
 
Game One: Augustana 4, Sioux Falls 3, 9 innings
The Vikings jumped out to a 2-0 lead after three and a half innings but saw a solo home run pull the Cougars within a run at 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
 
After the Vikings regained the lead at 3-1, the Cougars tallied a two-run seventh inning to send it to extras where Abby Lien provided what would be the game-winning hit to score Gracey Brink.
 
The 1-0 lead came in the third inning as Abbie Lund scored on a Torri Chute single through the right side. To make it 2-0, Mary Pardo singled up the middle to score Kennedy Buckman in the fourth frame
 
USF got a run back on a Cassie Van Beek home run in the bottom of the fourth.
 
An Abbie Lien single into left field scored Chute to give AU a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh inning.
 
It was the bottom of the seventh that saw USF mount a comeback and knot things up at 3-3 on a Van Beek single.
 
Pushing extra innings for just the third time this year, the Vikings prevailed as Lien drove in the game-winning run. She pushed 1-0 pitch into a single to center field scoring Gracey Brink. Brink reached base on a walk and stole second before scoring on Lien's single.
 
Chute tallied a 4-for-5 game while Lien was 3-for 5 to lead the Viking offense. Amber Elliott picked up the win for AU, her 15^th of the season. Ashley Mickschl started the game and pitched six innings, giving up just a single run while striking out three.
 
Game Two: Sioux Falls 2, Augustana 1
Augustana, who had its 14-game winning streak snapped in the contest, jumped on the scoreboard in the second inning for the early 1-0 lead.
 
Amanda Dickmeyer singled up the middle to score Abby Lien. Lien had reached base on a single into left field and advanced to second base thanks to a Delaney Young sacrifice bunt.
 
Sioux Falls would only get runs across home plate in one inning, and that happened in the bottom of the fourth. Taking advantage of a lull in the wind that had been pushing balls short all day, Damaris Cuevas was able to poke a ball over the right-center field fence for a two-run shot.
 
Despite totaling nine hits across the seven innings, Augustana was unable to push another run across the plate in the 2-1 loss.
 
Lien was 3-for-3 in the game while Dickmeyer was 2-for-3 at the plate. Four other hitters tallied a hit for AU.
 
Amber Elliott was charged with just her second loss of the season after pitching four innings. Olivia Hazelbaker came on in relief to pitch two innings, allowing just a single hit.
 
Up Next
The Vikings return to Bowden Field on Saturday and Sunday hosting MSU Moorhead and Northern State, respectively. The doubleheaders begin at noon each day.