BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For the second-straight day, it was a split for the Augustana softball team at the Drury Invitational. The Vikings fell in the first game of the day, 15-10, to Northeastern State. The finale of the invitational was a 5-2 Augustana win over Drury.
 
Augustana sits at 4-6 on the season while Northeastern is 14-6 while Drury is 10-10.
 
Game One: Northeastern State 15, Augustana 10
The Vikings racked up 15 hits in the contest but were outdone by the 16 hits by the RiverHawks.
 
NSU snagged a 3-0 lead in the opening frame while the Vikings clawed back with one run in the first and one in the second. Torri Chute doubled in Andrea Cain in the first while Cain doubled in Sydney Herbert in the second.
 
From there, Northeastern State put two runs on the board in the third, three in the fifth and four in the sixth to open a 12-2 lead.
 
Then the Vikings fought back with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth. Herbert connected on her first-career home run to start the scoring barrage. Gracey Brink, Delaney Young, Kennedy Buckman and Chute all picked up RBI in the inning with Buckman recording a three-run home run.
 
By the time the sixth inning was over, Augustana had pulled within three runs at 12-9.
 
However, the RiverHawks answered right back with three more runs in the top of the seventh. Despite an offensive attack in the bottom of the seventh, including an RBI single from Abby Lien, the Vikings would ultimately fall, 15-10.
 
Seven different spots in the Vikings' batting order recorded two hits while Buckman led the way with three RBI on one hit. Brink and Young were both 2-for-3.
 
Game Two: Augustana 5, Drury 2
The Vikings scored five runs on five hits to claim their second victory of the invitational. This time, it came against the host Drury Panthers.
 
Delaney Young got the Vikings on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning as she hit a double to score Andrea Cain and Gracey Brink. Cain reached base by a walk while Brink hit a sharp single at the third basemen.
 
The Panthers answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning with a double of their own.
 
For the next three innings, it was all about the defense as the bats were mostly silent from both teams until the top of the fifth inning when AU scored three runs.
 
Brink started the inning with a single to left center. Two batters later she was standing on second base with Torri Chute on first base thanks to a walk. The next batter was Young and she loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch to set the stage for Ashton Dorman.
 
The Vikings' catcher singled into center field to score Brink and Chute, breaking open the 2-2. Kennedy Buckman then hit a sacrifice to score Young from third base.
 
Helene Krage pitched a complete game for AU, allowing five hits and just two runs.
 
Brink continued her torrid season at the plate by going 2-for-3 with the two runs scored. She also made a diving catch to end the game in left field.
 
Up Next
The Vikings travel to Bolivar, Missouri, to take on Southwest Baptist on Monday. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 2 p.m. with coverage available at GoAugie.com/Live.