SPRINGFIELD, Mo. The Augustana softball team split on the opening day of the Drury Invitational. The Vikings started their day with a 17-5 win over Nebraska Kearney and then fell 8-1 to No. 9 Central Oklahoma.
 
Game One: Augustana 17, Nebraska Kearney 5
The one was never in doubt as the Vikings plated at least three runs in every inning while racking up 14 hits. Gracey Brink tallied six RBI on a 4-for-4 contest while Torri Chute was 3-for-4 with five RBI.
 
In the opening frame, Abby Lien singled in Brink for the contest's first run. Two batters later, it was 3-0 Vikings as Delaney Young doubled in Lien and Chute.
 
The Lopers snagged a run in the second inning but that was quickly answered with a three-run home run by Gracey Brink in the bottom of the second. The Vikings added six runs in the third inning as Brink hit a bases-loaded double into left center. That scored Liz Dierks, Sydney Herbert and Kennedy Buckman.
 
After Lien reached base on a single, Chute hit a moon shot to make it 12-1 Vikings. Despite giving up four runs in the fourth inning, the Vikings' bats kept humming in the bottom half of the inning with five more runs. Nicole Bellis belted a three-run home run and Chute doubled in two runs for the final 17-5 score.
 
Lexi Lander earned the win in the circle with four innings pitched and giving up just a single earned run. Haley Grimmius came in for the final inning, facing four batters and inducing a double play and a strikeout to end the game.
 
Game Two: No. 9 Central Oklahoma 8, Augustana 1
Gracey Brink got the Vikings on the scoreboard first with a first-inning home run, her second of the day and second of the season.
 
The Bronchos then scored eight unanswered runs over the final seven innings of play. Full stats were not available at time of this writing. Please check back to GoAugie.com for full stats at a later time.
 
Up Next
The Vikings remain in Springfield, Missouri, on Sunday to face Northeastern State and host Drury. The battle with NSU is slated for 1:30 p.m. with the contest against Dury scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 
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