Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The Viking bats were colder than the weather Sunday, as Coach Kris Kistler's 16th-ranked Vikings dropped two games at the Augustana Invitational. The hosts fell 1-0 to Wisconsin-Stout in their first game of the day and then lost 2-1 to Wartburg on a solo home run in the seventh inning. The Vikings slipped to 14-5-1 on the year.
 
UW-STOUT 1, AUGUSTANA 0
 
Blue Devil Tori Workman stifled Augustana on five hits in the Vikings' first game of the day.
 
Augustana starter Shelby Grandt (Broomfield HS, Broomfield, Colo.) looked to have helped herself with a one-out double in the top of the second. However, Stout right fielder Liz Seipel threw behind her with shortstop Lynzi Knudtson applying the tag for the out.
 
Grandt allowed just one base runner through 3 2/3 innings—a one-out Sara Greisbach single in the third. Taylor Workman got the Blue Devils' second hit with two out in the fourth. Another single and a walk loaded the bases and Beth Wood touched Grandt for an RBI single, plating pinch-runner Rachel Thomas with the game's only run.
 
Augustana's only other threat came in the seventh inning. Hitting for Krista Dawson (Niles West HS, Lincolnwood, Ill.), who had relieved her in the circle in the fifth, Grandt singled with two outs. Junior Emily Rasche (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) followed with a single that moved pinch runner Kendra Rakers (Belleville West HS, Millstadt, Ill.) to second, but Tori Workman got Chelsea Lavin (Downers Grove South HS, Downers Grove, Ill.) to fly to center to end the game.
 
Grandt was the tough luck loser, falling to 5-2 on the year. She gave up six hits, but just one run in 4 2/3 innings. She walked one and fanned three. Tori Workman improved to 7-5 with the win.
 
WARTBURG 2, AUGUSTANA 1
 
Kristie Sommer's two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh spelled the difference in the Vikings' second game of the day.
 
Each team put a run up in the third. Wartburg's Micaela Forsyth touched Ashley Anderson (Sherrard HS, Viola, Ill.) for a leadoff double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Sommer's sacrifice fly to center. Freshman Lauren Severson (Morris HS, Morris, Ill.) scored Augustana's run. She led off the bottom of the third with a single. Jordan Marshall (Galesburg HS, St. Augustine, Ill.) followed with a bunt single and Anderson drew a walk to load the bases. Laura Behnke's (St. Francis HS, Roselle, Ill.) fielder's choice grounder plated Severson with the tying run. The Knights cut down Marshall at the plate later in the inning to preserve the tie.
 
Anderson and Wartburg's Paige Blom remained in control, giving up just three singles between them over the game's next three innings.
 
Anderson retired the first two Knights in the seventh, but Sommer's homer to left center gave her team a 2-1 lead. Blom gave up a one-out single to Marshall in the bottom of the frame, but coaxed a game-ending double play grounder from Grandt.
 
Anderson went the distance, surrendering just one earned run on seven hits. She walked none and fanned one, falling to 5-2 on the season. Blom improved to 10-3 with the win. Severson and Marshall each had a pair of hits for Augustana.
 
Kistler's club begins CCIW play on Friday, April 3 with a doubleheader at Millikin.