SIOUX CENTER, Iowa - The Augustana softball team opened its NSIC schedule with a doubleheader sweep over Northern State on Friday afternoon inside the American State Bank Sport Complex. 

The Vikings move to 17-12 overall and 2-0 in the NSIC, while the Wolves fall to 14-8, 0-2.

Game One: Augustana 4, Northern State 0
Grace Glanzer allowed one hit and struck out seven in five shutout innings to help the Vikings to a game one victory. 

The Vikings had six hits from six different starters, led by solo home runs from Kennedy Buckman and Torri Chute. Chute and Gracey Brink each reached base twice, with Brink scoring a run and drawing a pair of walks. 

Chute opened the scoring with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the second inning. A Brink walk and Ashton Dorman single followed and Nicole Bellis doubled to right center, scoring Brink and adding to the lead. 

With two outs and Bellis standing on third, Liz Dierks finished the scoring in the inning with a bunt single, scoring Bellis and giving the Vikings a 3-0 lead. The scoring concluded with a solo blast from Buckman with one out in the third inning. 

Lexi Lander slammed the door shut in the final two frames, collecting a strikeout and completing the shutout. 

Game Two: Augustana 9, Northern State 1
Lander dominated in her second consecutive relief appearance while the offense slugged 12 hits to lead to a six-inning victory in game two. 

Lander allowed two hits in four innings of work for her fourth win of the season. Andrea Cain went 3 for 3 with a walk and three runs scored in the leadoff spot to lead the offensive surge. 

Desi Cuevas went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Buckman went 2 for 4 with three RBI. Brink tallied a pair of hits and a walk while scoring two runs. As a whole, the top three spots in the order combined to go 7 for 11 with six runs scored in the win. 

The Wolves opened the scoring with a run in the first inning. Their lead held until the third inning, an inning where the Viking bats came alive. 

Cain got it rolling with a one-out single and advanced to scoring position on an error. Cuevas singled on the next pitch, driving in Cain and advancing to second on the throw. 

Buckman followed it up three pitches later with a double to left center, and scored on the next pitch when Chute shot a double to left. 

Brink kept the offense rolling with an RBI triple, and scored two batters later on a groundout to close out the third inning. 

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Cain reached with another single. Cuevas followed with a single to left that skipped by the left fielder, allowing Cain to score and getting Cuevas to third. Cuevas scored one batter later when Buckman drove her in with a groundout, giving AU a 7-1 lead. 

A Brink double to lead off the fifth inning ended up cashing in with two outs when Stella Harber singled up the middle to bring her home for the eighth Viking run of the game and a Cain double to lead off the sixth inning cashed in with a Buckman single to close the game. 

Up Next
The Vikings will close their weekend with a doubleheader against MSU Moorhead on Saturday afternoon. First pitch from the Dunas Dome in Northfield, Minnesota, is slated for 1 p.m.