SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – With a doubleheader contest on Tuesday and a trip to the Spring Break Games on Wednesday and Thursday, No. 7 Augustana softball will face five teams across six games this week.
 
Action kicks off Tuesday with a noon and 2 p.m. doubleheader against Drury. The Vikings will then turn to Branson, Mo., to take on Washburn at 11 a.m. and Northeastern State at 1 p.m. on Wednesday at the Spring Break Games. The week will close on Thursday with a 10 a.m. game against McKendree and a 1 p.m. battle with Missouri S&T.
 
Available action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play.
 
THE PANTHERS
Current Record: 7-11
GLVC Pick: 4^th
All-Time Series History: 3-1
Schedule Note: Drury kicked off conference competition over the weekend with back-to-back doubleheaders against Lincoln and Missouri S&T, going 3-1 on Saturday and Sunday
 
THE ICHABODS
Current Record: 17-8
MIAA Pick: 4^th
All-Time Series History: 9-4
Schedule Note: Washburn recently went 3-1 in conference-opening weekend, collecting two wins over Northeastern State and splitting with an 11-inning win over #6 Rogers State.
Previously: Augustana collected an 8-3 win over Washburn on Friday, Feb. 28 at day one of the Top Gun College Invitational
 
THE RIVERHAWKS
Current Record: 5-13
MIAA Pick: 13^th
All-Time Series History: 2-2
Schedule Note: Northeastern State went 0-4 over the weekend to start conference play in doubleheaders against Washburn and Emporia State
 
THE BEARCATS
Current Record: 15-6
GLVC Pick: 3^rd
All-Time Series History: Thursday will mark the first matchup between McKendree and Augustana
Schedule Note: No. 20 McKendree has competed in four classics to open the season and recently began conference play, going 3-1 across four games against William Jewell and Truman State.
 
THE MINERS
Current Record: 4-15
GLVC Pick: 9^th
All-Time Series History: 1-1
Schedule Note: Having participated in four invitationals so far this season, Missouri S&T has faced many of the same opponents as the Vikings. They also began conference play 1-1 after splitting with Drury.
 
THE VIKINGS
Augustana is 12-4 on the season following a trip to the Top Gun College Invitational and a doubleheader against Northwest Missouri State. The Vikings defeated Central Missouri, Washburn, Pittsburg State, Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State at the invitational before sweeping the two against the Bearcats.
 
Leading for the Vikings, Desi Cuevas holds a .420 batting percentage with a .860 slugging percentage, 17 RBI, eight stolen bases and six home runs. Ella Cooper and Andrea Cain have each added in 12 RBI as Cain has knocked out three homeruns and three doubles with 12 walks and Cooper has stolen seven bases. Ashton Dorman is swinging at .353 with 18 hits while Lexi Lander sits with eight RBI, four doubles and a homerun.
 
In the pitcher's circle, Grace Glanzer holds a .86 WHIP and 1.38 ERA through 55.2 innings pitched. Her ERA is third in the NSIC while sitting eighth in the league with 54 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .194 batting average.
 
AU sat atop the recent NSIC preseason coaches' poll while reigning NSIC pitcher of the year Grace Glanzer was tabbed as the conference's preseason pitcher to watch and Andrea Cain was named the Vikings' preseason player to watch.
 
Five new freshmen join the roster that returns 12 Vikings from last season's squad. This includes two NFCA All-Americans in Glanzer and Desi Cuevas and six all-conference selections in Glanzer, Cuevas, Cain, Ashton Dorman, Stella Harber and Lexi Lander.
 
Augustana heads into 2025 coming off a 50-15 record last season that featured the clinching of the NSIC Regular Season and Championship titles while earning the NCAA Central Super Regional Championship with a berth to the NCAA Championships.
 
The Vikings also earned major coaching staff recognitions since the end of last season, with assistant coach Kelsey Thompson being named the Easton/NFCA Division II Assistant Coach of the year and the entire staff being recognized as the ATEC/NFCA DII Regional Coaching Staff of the Year. Additionally, head coach Gretta Melsted was inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame in December 2024.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the first 22 games of the season on the road, Augustana softball will return to Sioux Falls for the home opener with a doubleheader against Missouri Western on Tuesday, March 18.