SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team concluded the home portion of its 2023 slate with a split with Southwest Minnesota State. The Vikings fell in game one, 2-1, before bouncing back in game two, 2-0.
 
The Vikings are tied atop the NSIC with a 20-4 league record while sitting at 33-12 overall. The Mustangs have now split with both first-place NSIC teams over the last four games and are 16-27 overall and 11-13 in the NSIC.
 
Game One: Southwest Minnesota State 2, Augustana 1
Augustana had its 10-game winning streak snapped with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Abby Lien got AU on the scoreboard first in the third inning, pushing Gracey Brink across home plate.
 
However, in the top of the fourth, the Mustangs rallied with three hits to score a pair of runs and take the 2-1 lead.
 
That would prove to be the final score despite the Vikings getting a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
The Vikings totaled six hits in the contest with all six spread across six different spots in the AU lineup. Hailey Houston, despite picking up just her third loss of the year in the circle, scattered six hits while allowing the two runs.
 
Game Two: Augustana 2, Southwest Minnesota State 0
The Vikings scored in the fourth and fifth innings while Lexi Lander was masterful in the circle by allowing just one hit in the contest. Lander struck out four Mustangs en route to her 14^th win of the season.
 
The first run of the game came on Delaney Young's seventh home run of the season. She launched a ball over the right-center field fence to round the bases.
 
In the fifth inning, Torri Chute picked up a sacrifice fly to score Liz Dierks. Dierks was on base after a single into left-center and advanced to third base on back-to-back wild pitches.
 
The Vikings again recorded six hits in the contest with two each from Young and Dierks.
 
Up Next
Augustana closes the regular season with its first road trip since March 28 with a trip to St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth. Stay tuned to @AugieSoftball on social media for schedule updates.