SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team earned a sweep on Sunday, hitting past Minnesota Crookston by scores of 9-1 and 18-3. The Vikings have now won 17-straight games on the season and pushed the home winning streak to 41 games.
 
On the season, Augustana is 36-7 on the season and remain in first place of the NSIC with a 20-2 mark. Minnesota Crookston falls to 14-31 overall and 5-15 in the loop.
 
In addition to the sweep, Augustana pitcher Ashley Mickschl claimed the pitching wins record at Augustana with the 105^th win of her career. She surpassed Jenelle Trautmann who totaled 104 wins from 2012-15. Mickschl has achieved her record in 132 starts while Trautmann started 142 contests.
 
Game One: No. 12 Augustana 9, Minnesota Crookston 1
It was quickly 2-0 Augustana in the opening frame as Torri Chute towered a home run over the left-center field fence to score Abby Lien. The four-base hit was the first of two home runs on the day for Chute as she also homered in the fourth inning.
 
In the second inning, Mary Pardo connected on her NSIC leading 20^th home run of the season, a solo shot also to left-center. Augustana then plated four runs in the third inning, beginning with a Chute single into left field to bring home Lien. Delaney Young then singled down the left-field line to score Chute and it was quickly 5-0 AU.
 
Continuing in the third inning, Amanda Dickmeyer singled in Gracey Brink before the final run of the inning came via a passed ball.
 
The fourth inning was the aforementioned Chute home run, with the final Augustana run coming with Taylor Bross batting. The senior singled into center field to score Becca Koupal to give the Vikings a 9-0 advantage.
 
The Golden Eagles were able to get a run in the bottom of the fifth but the damage was done as Ashley Mickschl pitched four masterful innings, striking out three and allowing just three base runners. The win in the circle moves her record to 15-2 on the season and was the 105^th of her storied career.
 
Augustana totaled 11 hits with Chute leading the way with a 3-for-3 day with three RBI and three runs scored. Brink totaled two hits while scoring a run.
 
Game Two: No. 12 Augustana 18, Minnesota Crookston 3
Augustana sent 14 batters to the plate in the opening frame and never looked back in the 18-3 win. After the first inning, Augustana led 9-0. The first four runs of the game were courtesy of the long ball with Abby Lien starting off with a two-run homer. Delaney Young then carried a solo home run and was quickly followed by Gracey Brink to make it 4-0.
 
Augustana added five more runs in the opening frame.
 
In the second inning, Amanda Dickmeyer hit a home run to straight-away center field to make it 10-0 Vikings.
 
The third inning saw four more runs plated as Lien started the scoring with a single to score Bergen Lindner. Lien was then pushed home a few batters later on a Kennedy Buckman ground. Two runs scored on a Dickmeyer single to make it 14-0 heading out of the third inning.
 
Augustana scored four more runs in the rout to tally its 11^th run-rule victory in 12 games.
 
The Vikings fell two hits shy of tying the school record for hits in a game with 21. Lien and Dickmeyer each recorded three hits while Dickmeyer scored three runs and totaled four RBI. Lien tallied five RBI.
 
Amber Elliott earned her 15^th win of the year by pitching three innings, striking out eight and not giving up a hit. Makayla Williams pitched an inning while Olivia Hazelbaker pitched the final inning.
 
Up Next
Augustana continues its site-reversal weekend (on a Monday) by hosting Bemidji State at noon at Sherman Park.
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