SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team felt right at home in its temporary field at Sherman Park as the eighth-ranked Vikings topped Wayne State 5-0 and 8-0 Monday in Sioux Falls.
 
Mary Pardo and Abby Lien each connected on home runs into the wind to power the offense as Augustana moves to 18-5 on the season and 2-0 in the NSIC. Wayne State falls to 3-20, 0-2.
 
The contests were the NSIC openers for both schools.
 
Game One: No. 8 Augustana 5, Wayne State 0
It took a few innings for the offense to truly settle in as the Vikings led 1-0 after two innings. The first run of the game was scored on a fielder's choice as the Wildcats gave up the run while taking the out at third base. Torri Chute scored the run after earning her spot on the base paths via a walk.
 
After four innings, starting pitcher Ashley Mickschl had given up just three hits. It was the bottom of the fourth when the AU offense started to make moves. Amanda Dickmeyer singled in Bergen Lindner for the 2-0 lead. That advantage moved to 3-0in the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of a Chute single that scored Liz Dierks.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Mary Pardo took the 25 mph wind gusts head-on and crushed a line drive to straightaway center field and over the fence for her sixth home run of 2022. That pushed the score to 5-0 as Abbie Lund was on base after singling to the shortstop and beating out the throw.
 
Mickschl moved to 7-1 on the year, giving up three hits and walking one over six innings. Hailey Houston pitched the final frame, striking out two.
 
Augustana totaled five hits in the game with all five coming from five different spots in the batting order.
 
Game Two: No. 8 Augustana 8, Wayne State 0
Abby Lien got the offense moving in the third inning thanks to a towering home run over the left-center field fence to push an early 3-0 Augustana lead. The home run scored Liz Dierks and Torri Chute who were on base by a single and walk, respectively.
 
In the fourth inning, the lead moved to 4-0 as Gracey Brink scored on a wild pitch. She reached base on a single, stole second and advanced to third on an Amanda Dickmeyer single.
 
Liz Dierks hit into a productive groundout to score Dickmeyer in the same inning to push the AU advantage to 5-0.
 
The Vikings then run-ruled the Wildcats in the fifth inning as Chute scored on a Brink single for a 6-0 lead. Then with the bases loaded, Taylor Bross singled into right field to score Brink and Becca Koupal, effectively ending the game.
 
Amber Elliott picked up her sixth win of the year by giving up just two hits while facing 19 batters over the five innings.
 
In contrast, Augustana piled up nine hits for the eight runs with two each from Dierks, Lien, Brink and Dickmeyer.
 
Up Next
Augustana travels to Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul for contests on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. First pitch at MSU is slated for 1 p.m. while Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for noon.
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