CONROE, Texas – The Augustana softball team split against a pair of Top-25 opponents Saturday, claiming a 7-5 win over No. 16 Southern Arkansas. Earlier in the day, the Vikings fell 5-3 to No. 15 Oklahoma State.
 
Augustana is 3-2 on the season while OCU and SAU own 1-1 records.  
 
Game One: No. 15 Oklahoma Christian 5, No. 2 Augustana 3
Augustana fell behind 4-0 in the second inning and needed to dig out of the hole for a comeback attempt. That proved to be just a touch too much in the eventual 5-3 loss.
 
That comeback attempt started in the fourth inning as Delaney Young singled into right field before advancing to third base on a fielding error. She scored on a single by Torri Chute to second base.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Becca Koupal scored on a single by Mary Pardo to make it a 4-2 contest. After the Eagles scored a run in the top of the sixth, Augustana plated another run in the bottom of the sixth. Young scored on a fielder's choice at-bat from Kennedy Buckman while OCU took the out at third base.
 
However, that was the last run Augustana would score in the 5-3 setback. Young went 2-for-5 with two runs scored while Chute was 2-for-2 as part of the Vikings' nine hits on the day. Makayla Williams started for Augustana and went 3.1 innings while Olivia Hazelbaker recorded 3.2 innings of relief, giving up just two hits.
 
Game Two: No. 2 Augustana 7, No. 16 Southern Arkansas 5
After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning and half played, Augustana reeled off seven-straight runs to take a 7-5 win over No. 16 Southern Arkansas. Of the 12 hits, Mary Pardo, Liz Dierks, Kennedy Buckman and Amanda Dickmeyer each had two hits.
 
In the circle, Amber Elliot started and pitched an inning while Olivia Hazelbaker came on in relief, scattering seven hits over five innings to earn the victory. Makayla Williams came on for the final three outs where she earned the save.
 
Trailing 2-0, Augustana knotted the game on a Dickmeyer double to left center scoring Nicole Bellis and Kennedy Buckman. Still in the second inning, Pardo hit a sharp single into left field scoring Dickmeyer for the 3-2 lead.
 
That score would hold into the fifth inning as Bellis tallied her first RBI as a Viking with a single scoring Becca Koupal.
 
The sixth inning saw three more runs scored for Augustana beginning with Pardo crossing home plate on a wild pitch. Buckman then double into left center scoring Gracey Brink and Dierks for a commanding 7-2 lead.
 
The Muleriders were able to get three runs back in the top of the seventh, but the Vikings lead was too much for third win of 2022.
 
Up Next
Augustana closes out the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational Sunday with a 10 a.m. first pitch against Southeastern Oklahoma State and a noon start against host Arkansas Tech in Conroe, Texas. GoAugie.com/Live will have live stats throughout the day, power and internet pending.
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