SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Senior Day was a success for the Augustana softball team as it swept Minnesota Duluth by scores of 2-1 and 6-0. The wins for the nationally-ranked No. 12 Vikings give AU two more wins over regionally-ranked foes as the Bulldogs came into the contest ranked No. 10 in the latest NCAA Central Region Rankings.
 
The wins improve Augustana's record to 42-7 in 2022 and 26-2 in the NSIC. Minnesota Duluth falls to 35-14, 20-8. The two wins regain the nation's longest winning streak for Augustana, now at 23 games.
 
Game One: No. 12 Augustana 2, Minnesota Duluth 1
It was a come-from-behind victory for Augustana as it trailed 1-0 for much of the game. The Bulldogs took the lead on a solo home run in the second inning, however, that was all the offense would go for UMD.
 
Augustana threatened in the third inning, and again had runners on-base in the sixth, but it wasn't until the seventh inning that the offense got moving.
 
Amanda Dickmeyer singled in the bottom of the seventh to get a baserunner going. Abbie Lund sacrificed herself to get Dickmeyer to second base, setting up Mary Pardo for a two-out hit. Pardo smacked a single into right field to score Dickmeyer to knot the score at 1-1 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Forced to go to extra innings, Ashley Mickschl set the Bulldogs down in order in the top of the eighth.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, Torri Chute drew a walk but was then out on a Delaney Young fielder's choice. Young advanced to second as Gracey Brink hit an infield single to the shortstop, giving AU runners on first and second with one out.
 
Kennedy Buckman then hit a chopper to the pitcher, but the pitcher missed on her throw to first base, allowing Young to round third base and cross home plate with the walk-off victory.
 
Augustana tallied seven hits in the contest with two each from Pardo and Brink. Mickschl tossed the eight-inning complete game by striking out six and allowing just the one run to move to 18-2 on the year.
 
Game Two: No. 12 Augustana 6, Minnesota Duluth 0
Game two was all Augustana from start-to-finish as Amber Elliott tossed a complete-game three-hitter. She was aided with a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Torri Chute doubled into left-center to score Abby Lien.
 
In the second inning, Kennedy Buckman launched a home run that landed near the base of the second fence labeled 270 feet. Augustana scored four more runs, all off home runs to win the game 6-0.
 
Delaney Young hit her 13^th home run of the season with a solo shot to center field in the fourth inning. Gracey Brink then reached base on a triple to set Buckman up for an opportunity for a two-run home run. The second basemen did just that as she recorded her ninth home run of the season to give AU the 5-0 advantage.
 
Amanda Dickmeyer then stepped to the plate to lead off the sixth inning and simply homered over the left-center field fence.
 
That was all the offense, and then some, Elliott needed as she struck out eight Bulldog hitters and allowed just three hits all game. She moved to 17-2 with the shutout.
 
Up Next
Augustana welcomes St. Cloud State for the 2022 home finale. The Vikings will be looking to complete their second-straight perfect season at home. Augustana currently has the nation's longest home winning streak at 45 games. Game one is slated for noon with game two starting around 2 p.m. A single win grants Augustana the 2022 NSIC Championship outright.
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