SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team concludes its scheduled home season Wednesday by hosting Southwest Minnesota State at Bowden Field. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. with an anticipated 4 p.m. first pitch in game two.
 
Live stats and live video will be available at GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app. The app is available in the app store and Google Play and is presented by the Original Pancake House. 
 
About the Mustangs
Southwest Minnesota State is 15-26 on the season and 10-12 within the NSIC after splitting with Minnesota Duluth on Monday. The Mustangs have won four of their last five games.
 
As a team, SMSU bats .254 with Jillian Noel leading the way at .301. Of the Mustangs' six home runs, Noel has three while Abby Russell has the other three. In the circle, two pitchers each own six wins with Allison Christians owning a 6-3 record and Karlie Miler at 6-9. Christians has the low ERA at 3.57.
 
About the Vikings
Augustana, winners of 10-straight games, is atop the NSIC with its 19-3 league record. For the year, AU is 32-11. Thanks to SMSU defeating Minnesota Duluth on Monday, that gave Augustana sole possession of first place of the NSIC for the first time in 2023.
 
Augustana ranks sixth in the nation in batting average at .361 as a team. Within the NSIC, the Vikings own the top four averages in league action with Torri Chute leading the way at .540. It then follows with Andrea Cain at .493, Delaney Young at .474 and Kennedy Buckman at .468. To give AU five in the top-10, Abby Lien bats .403 in NSIC games to rank ninth.
 
Buckman moved into the nation's lead for home runs per game at .44 (19 total) after a three-home run game Monday. She ranks second nationally for total home runs. As a team, the Vikings rank second nationally with their .626 slugging percentage.
 
In the circle, Hailey Houston is 16-2 with a 2.34 ERA while Lexi Lander is 13-7 with a 3.13 ERA.
 
Buckman and Lander are coming off NSIC Player and Pitcher of the Week performances.
 
One Last Thing
Augustana has played 22 NSIC games at this point of the season with 16 of them taking place at Bowden Field. Over the past two years, AU has played 80.7 percent of its NSIC games within the City of Sioux Falls due to site reversals from other opponents. Since the 2021 season, Augustana is 51-3 in home games.