# Augie-Duluth Split In Softball

##### Augie-Duluth Split In Softball

**SIOUX FALLS, S.D. –** Augustana University softball split a doubleheader with the University of Minnesota Duluth (34-18, 18-10 NSIC) on a chilly Friday afternoon in Sioux Falls. The Vikings (36-12, 21-5 NSIC) won the opener 6-1 before falling 8-6 in a nearly three-hour long game two.

The bottom of the fourth inning in game two lasted 30-plus minutes when the game was being played under protest due to a ruling on the field. Play resumed and the Vikings tied the game in the fourth before falling 8-6 in the finale.

**Game one**  
Augustana slugged three home runs in the opener to pick up a 6-1 win over the Bulldogs. Christina Pickett led the Vikings at the plate going 3 for 3 with a home run. Sarah Kennedy and Shannon Petersen each hit their 13th home run of the season in in the game.

Olivia Wolters pitched 5.2 strong innings in relief for the Vikings to pick up her 16th win of the year. Wolters held the Bulldogs to just two hits while striking out five.

Augustana grabbed the game’s first lead when Kennedy belted a solo home run to deep right center to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. UMD answered in the top of the second to tie the game after an RBI double by Ashley Taipale. Wolters entered the after the double and got the final two outs of the inning to end the threat and strand Taipale on second.

Samantha Eisenreich led off a four-run third inning with a double before coming around to score on an RBI single by Pickett to give Augustana the lead at 2-1. Petersen then stepped to the plate and belted a three-run home run to left putting Augustana in front 5-1.

Minnesota Duluth loaded the bases getting a walk, a hit batter and a single in between line out to center. Wolters then picked up two straight strikeouts to end the threat and leave the bases loaded.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Pickett jumped on the first pitch she saw and hit her sixth home run of the season to stretch Augustana’s lead to 6-1, which would stand as the final score.

**Game two**  
UMD scored at least one run in the first four innings to build a 6-4 lead before the Vikings tied the game at 6 in the bottom of the fourth after a 30 minute delay. The Bulldogs answered with a run in the sixth and the seventh to earn the 8-6 win.

Augustana finished with nine hits, getting a hit from all nine players in the lineup. Petersen hit her 14th home run of the year driving in a pair of runs. Samantha Eisenreich hit her fifth home run of the year in the third inning.

Minnesota Duluth took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but the Vikings responded with a pair on a two-run home run by Petersen in the home-half of the inning to give her team a 2-1 lead.

The Bulldogs hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the second to take a 3-2 lead before plating a pair of runs on two sacrifice flies in the third to go in front 5-2.

Eisenreich led off the third inning with a home run and later in the inning Pickett delivered an RBI double to center to score Kaylea Schorr, who singled after the Eisenreich home run, getting the Vikings within one at 5-4.

Lauren Oberle led off the fourth inning with her second home run of the game to stretch UMD’s lead to two at 6-4 before the marathon bottom of the fourth. Following a ruling that ended with Abby Chandler reaching on a single and an error putting runners on the corners, the Vikings plated two runs to tie the game at 6-6.

The Bulldogs were able to string together a run in the sixth and seventh innings to regain the lead at 8-6. Augustana put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh after back-to-back walks by Schorr and Kennedy putting the go-ahead run at the plate. Petersen sharply lined out to short and Rome grounded out to short and the Bulldogs escaped the jam to earn the split.

Augustana was scheduled to return to action on Saturday, April 29, hosting St. Cloud State at 12 p.m. but weather has forced another schedule change. St. Cloud State’s game at Wayne State on Friday was postponed due to weather and will be played on Saturday. Augustana and St. Cloud State will now play at 12 p.m. on Sunday at Bowden Field.