ABERDEEN, S.D. – Augustana closed out the regular season on Sunday, splitting its conference doubleheader with Northern State. The Vikings dropped game one, 3-2, before responding with a 10-2 run-rule victory in five innings at Koehler Hall of Fame Stadium.
Northern State 3, Augustana 2
The Vikings were limited to five hits in the opener as Northern State used a three-run sixth inning to rally for the win.
Augustana broke through in the second inning as
Stella Harber singled and
Norah Christiansen reached on a fielder's choice.
Teya Speltz followed by reaching on an error, allowing Christiansen to score and give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.
After several quiet innings, the Vikings added to their advantage in the sixth.
Desi Cuevas led off with a double and later scored on an RBI single from
Kierra Lubovich to push the lead to 2-0.
Northern State responded in the bottom half, loading the bases before stringing together three run-scoring plays to take a 3-2 lead.
Augustana brought the tying run aboard in the seventh as Christiansen singled up the middle, but Northern State retired the next three hitters to secure the win.
Augustana 10, Northern State 2 (5 inn.)
Augustana answered in the finale with a strong offensive showing, plating 10 runs on 14 hits to earn the split.
The Vikings struck early as
Desi Cuevas singled and came around to score on a two-run home run from
Teya Speltz.
Sidney Smart followed later in the inning with an RBI single to make it 3-0.
Northern State answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, but Augustana regained control in the second. Cuevas reached again and moved into scoring position before Speltz delivered a two-run double to extend the lead to 5-2.
The Vikings continued to build in the third as Smart doubled and
Norah Christiansen launched a two-run home run to center, pushing the lead to 7-2.
In the fourth, Smart tripled and scored on a
Stella Harber single, and another run crossed on a throwing error to stretch the advantage to 9-2.
Augustana capped the scoring in the fifth as
Ella Cooper singled and later scored on a Cuevas RBI single.
Helene Krage earned the win in the circle, limiting Northern State to two runs on two hits over five innings.
Up Next
Augustana turns its attention to postseason play at Bowden Field. The Vikings will play host to the entire tournament. The tournament kicks off on Wednesday, May 6, through Saturday, May 9.Â
– GoAugie.com –
