SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team remains at home for a weekend of doubleheaders at Sherman Park. The Vikings host UMary on Saturday with a noon and 2 p.m. doubleheader followed by Minot State on Sunday with the same game times.
 
All games at Sherman Park are free to attend. Those unable to attend can catch live video and live stats at GoAugie.com/Live or on the GoAugie app, presented by CellOnly, found in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
 
About the Marauders
UMary is looking for its footing in the NSIC and may have found some momentum with a series sweep of Minnesota Crookston on Thursday. The Marauders topped UMC 12-6 and 8-0 to move to 4-24 on the season and 2-6 within the NSIC.
 
Haley Berube is off to a quick start at the plate, holding a .465 batting average with nine doubles, four triples and four home runs, all team bests. She also leads UMary with 21 RBI.
 
Pitching-wise, two of the wins have come from Nicole Eckhardt as she is 2-9 on the year. She holds a 5.44 ERA with a team-best 91 innings pitched.
 
About the Beavers
Led by former Augustana assistant coach Nat Wagner, Minot State is 24-8 on the season and 5-3 in the NSIC. It has been a season of runs as the Beavers won three straight to open NSIC action, dropped three straight, then won two more for the 5-3 mark.
 
Jamie Odlum leads the NSIC and ranks seventh in the nation with her .500 batting average. Her OPS is at 1.320 while she owns a .760 slugging percentage. Kiera Shwaluk is nearly as high in the average as she holds a .410 batting average.
 
Five different pitchers own a victory in the circle led by Trinity Valentine and her 11-5 record. The top ERA goes to Jasmine Blizzard at 1.77 over 47.1 innings pitched.
 
Minot State plays a doubleheader at Wayne State on Saturday prior to visiting the Vikings on Sunday.
 
About the Vikings
22-7 on the year, 6-2 in the NSIC, the Augustana softball team is ranked No. 14 in the nation. The Vikings are coming off a sweep of Winona State where they cranked 13 home runs over the two contests this past Tuesday. In the opening game, AU hit eight home runs to tie the school record for most home runs in a single game. Additionally, Mary Pardo hit three of those home runs to tie the individual single-game record.
 
Seven Viking hitters are hitting .303 or better led by Gracey Brink and her .476 average. Torri Chute is at .424 while Pardo is hitting .380 with her team-best 11 home runs. Augustana has hit 44 home runs in 2022, a mark that ranks 11^th in the country and tops the NSIC. The 1.52 home runs per game place AU fourth in the country.
 
Augustana has pitched five different pitchers in 2022 with Amber Elliott and Ashley Mickschl each owning 8-2 records. Elliott leads the way with the top ERA at 1.39 over 60.1 innings pitched.
 
One Last Thing
We talk an awful lot about hitting but not nearly enough about defense. But did you know, Delaney Young has the highest field percentage in Augustana history? She owns a .997 fielding percentage (minimum 600 chances), which is ahead of Kristin Nagle and her .994 as she played from 2001 to 2004.