WAYNE, Neb. – Augustana softball swept a Friday conference doubleheader over Concordia-St. Paul, opening with an 8-0 run-rule victory before walking it off in a 6-5 thriller inside the Wildcat Dome.

Augustana 8, Concordia-St. Paul 0 (6 inn.)
Augustana wasted no time setting the tone in game one, using a balanced offensive attack and a dominant outing from Jaelyn Garcia to secure the shutout.

Garcia was in control throughout, scattering just three hits over six innings while striking out two to earn the win.

After a scoreless first inning, the Vikings broke through in the second. Sidney Smart singled and came around to score on an RBI knock from Ella Cooper. Moments later, Susie Tollefson reached on a single and an outfield error allowed another run to cross, giving Augustana a 2-0 lead.

The Vikings added to the advantage in the third as Desi Cuevas tripled to right field and later scored to make it 3-0. Cuevas continued her big day at the plate, finishing with four hits, including a home run, a triple and two doubles while scoring three times.

In the fourth, Norah Christiansen doubled and later scored on another RBI single from Cooper, pushing the lead to 4-0.

The fifth inning put the game out of reach. Cuevas doubled to start the frame before Kierra Lubovich drove her in with a double of her own. Later in the inning, Stella Harber delivered a two-run double to extend the lead to 7-0.

Cuevas capped the scoring in the sixth, blasting a solo home run to right-center to secure the 8-0 run-rule victory.

Augustana 6, Concordia-St. Paul 5
Game two proved far more dramatic, as the Vikings rallied late to walk off Concordia-St. Paul in the final inning.

Andrea Cain opened the scoring in the first inning with a solo home run down the left-field line, giving Augustana an early 1-0 lead.

Concordia-St. Paul responded with a four-run third inning to take a 4-1 advantage.

Augustana chipped away in the fourth as Smart singled and eventually scored on an RBI hit from Harber to make it 4-2. The Vikings pulled within one in the fifth when Cain singled and later scored on an RBI single from Lubovich.

After a scoreless sixth, Concordia added a solo home run in the seventh to push its lead to 5-3.

Down to their final outs, the Vikings mounted the decisive rally in the bottom of the seventh. Desi Cuevas doubled to left to spark the inning before Claire Wynja followed with a single to put runners on the corners.

With one swing, Lubovich delivered the knockout blow, launching a three-run home run to left-center to walk it off and complete the sweep for Augustana.

Lubovich finished game two with three hits and four RBI, while Cain added two hits and two runs scored. In the circle, Helene Krage went the distance, allowing five runs while striking out three to earn the win.

Up Next
Augustana continues conference play Saturday with a doubleheader against St. Cloud State in Wayne, Neb. at the Wildcat Dome.