SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Back-to-back homeruns combined with the powerful one-two punch in the circle pushed top-seeded Augustana Vikings over 10th-seeded MSU Moorhead 7-2 in the NSIC Softball Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon at Bowden Field. 

The Vikings combined for 11 hits in the affair as Andrea Cain, Ella Cooper and Lexi Lander each went 2-for-3 from the plate and five other Vikings tallied a hit apiece. Cain and Desi Cuevas smashed back-to-back homeruns in the sixth inning to put the Vikings firmly ahead. 

Cain, Cooper and Stella Harber all knocked out doubles and Cain led with four RBI as the team combined for three walks drawn.

Grace Glanzer earned the win in the circle in 5.0 innings of work, improving to 22-6 on the year. She tallied three strikeouts with seven fly outs and four ground outs against 18 batters faced while allowing just one run. Lexi Lander collected her first save of the season after striking out four of 10 batters faced and allowing one unearned run 2.0 innings pitched. 

Augustana struck first in the bottom of the first inning, scoring one run after a drawn walk from Cain, a sacrifice bunt from Cuevas and a single from Lander to open up action. 

MSU Moorhead was downed in order in both the second and third innings and the AU advantage held until the Dragons soon tied up the game 1-1 in the top of the fourth. 

But that score wouldn't last long. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Liz Dierks singled to third and advanced on a throwing error to reach scoring position. The ensuing at-bat resulted in a rocketed double from Cain to left field off her first pitch and would score Dierks. 

Now ahead 2-1, the lead was one that Augustana would not rescind for the remainder of the game. 

Cooper doubled to kick off the sixth inning and Harber followed that up with a walk to put two on. After a fly out advanced the runner to third, Sidney Smart singled through the right side to score one and advanced another to second base. 

Facing a two-out situation with two on, Cain slammed a shot over the center field fence, smacking the scoreboard as she hammered in a three-run homerun. The dagger forced a pitching change for the Dragons but that didn't stop Cuevas. 

On the very next pitch of the game, Cuevas slammed a solo homer to left center in her very first pitch of the at-bat. The electric performance at the plate from the Vikings resulted in a five-run inning and a 7-1 lead for the top seed. 

The Dragons singled and drew a walk to start the top of the seventh before heavy rain in the area forced a weather delay. When play resumed, MSUM was able to score one run to close in. Lander then collected three strikeouts off swinging batters to end the game and secure the 7-2 win. 

UP NEXT
Augustana will return to the field on Friday afternoon to take on the fifth-seeded Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs at 12 p.m. on Bowden Field.