CROOKSTON, Minn. – It was a home run barrage for the Augustana softball team Sunday as the Vikings topped Minnesota Crookston by scores of 22-1 and 11-3. In the doubleheader, AU combined to hit 11 home runs led by Kennedy Buckman with four.
 
In addition, Augustana set a school record for total hits in the game one win.
 
The Vikings, winners of 16-straight games, are now 34-13 on the season and remain in first place of the NSIC with their 19-1 mark. Minnesota Crookston falls to 11-31, 4-14.
 
Game One: Augustana 22, Minnesota Crookston 1
Augustana racked up a school-record 27 hits while tying the record for runs in a game with 22. After five batters, AU led 5-0. With Andrea Cain and Desi Cuevas on base, Kennedy Buckman sent a ball over the center-field wall. Two batters later, Gracey Brink knocked one over the wall to make the score 5-0 after five batters.
 
Cuevas then continued the home run train in the second as she hit a two-run home run. Buckman and Torri Chute each followed suit for back-to-back-to-back home runs.
 
Nicole Bellis knocked a sacrifice fly into left field to score Brink to make the score 10-0 after two innings.
 
Brink then cracked a grand slam in the third inning while the final home run of the contest was a two-run shot form Chute in the fifth inning. By time Chute's home run cleared the fence, the score was 20-1.
 
Stella Harber put the exclamation point on the game with a two-run single for the 22-1 final score.
 
Four different Viking hitters collected four hits as part of the 27 on the day. Cuevas, Chute, Brink and Ashton Dorman all had four hits while the Vikings picked up an RBI for all 22 runs. In addition, AU struck out just twice.
 
Grace Glanzer collected her 16^th win of 2024 with seven strikeouts in four innings. Haley Grimmius pitched the final inning, facing three batters and retiring them in order.
 
Game Two: Augustana 11, Minnesota Crookston 3
In a bit of déjà vu, Kennedy Buckman made the score 3-0 just three batters into the game. Andrea Cain and Desi Cuevas hit back-to-back singles to put two runners on base. Buckman then sent a ball out of the park for her first of two home runs in the contest.
 
Gracey Brink then hit a first-inning home run to push the score to 4-0.
 
Minnesota Crookston gathered some offense in the bottom of the second and plated three runs to make the score 4-3.
 
With the same score in the fourth inning, Augustana loaded the bases on three-straight singles from Nicole Bellis, Stella Harber and Liz Dierks. That brought Andrea Cain to the plate to hit a grand slam over the left-field fence, boosting AU's lead to 8-3.
 
After a Desi Cuevas single, Buckman again hit a home run, this time to left field for the 10-3 score. The final run of the game was a double by Ashton Dorman to score Torri Chute.
 
The Vikings tallied 14 hits with Cuevas going 3-for-3. In the circle, Helene Krage pitched the complete game one-hitter while striking out three.
 
Up Next
Augustana is scheduled to host Wayne State on Tuesday in the first scheduled night games at Bowden Field. First Pitch is slated for 4 p.m. However, stay tuned to GoAugie.com for schedule updates.