Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Freshman Shelby Grandt (Broomfield HS, Broomfield, Colo.) and senior Christie Wiersema (Morrison HS, Morrison, Ill.) each spun a shutout Wednesday as Augustana defeated Monmouth 2-0 and 6-0 in a non-conference doubleheader at Carver Field. The Vikings improved to 22-11-1 on the year, while the Scots dropped to 10-22.
 
AUGUSTANA 2, MONMOUTH 0
 
Grandt scattered four Monmouth singles in the opener. The Scots managed to get the leadoff runner on in four of the first five innings, but could never push a run across against the Viking right-hander.
 
Augustana plated a run in the first. Senior Jenna Teson (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Ashley Anderson's (Sherrard HS, Viola, Ill.) single to center. After an Emily Rasche (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) sacrifice moved both runners up a base, Senior Chelsea Lavin (Downers Grove South HS, Downers Grove, Ill.) singled to left, scoring Teson with the game's first run.
 
Laura Behnke's (St, Francis HS, Roselle, Ill.) third-inning leadoff triple and an RBI single by Rasche accounted for the Vikings' other run.
 
Grandt finished strong, retiring the last eight Scots she faced. She walked two and fanned six and improved to 7-3 on the year.
 
She also benefitted from some excellent defense. With two on in the first, sophomore shortstop Ashley Klauss (Trinity HS, Chicago, Ill.) turned what looked like a fly ball single to left by Charlotte Park into a fielder's choice, cutting down the lead runner at third base with a strong throw. In the third, junior right fielder Kassandra Anderson (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) ended the inning with a diving catch of Park's sinking liner and with runners at second and third in the fifth, freshman third baseman Lauren Severson (Morris HS, Morris, Ill.) fielded an Emily Watkins ground ball and made an unassisted putout on the runner who had strayed too far off the bag at third.
 
Ashley Anderson and Lavin each had two of Augustana's eight hits.
 
AUGUSTANA 6, MONMOUTH 0
 
Monmouth had even less success against Wiersema in the nightcap. After Johnna Schultz's first inning single, the Viking right-hander didn't allow another base runner until a one-out walk to Liz Hippen in the fifth. Two seventh-inning singles, around which Wiersema worked, were the only other baserunners for the Scots.
 
Augustana got on the board against Scot ace Hippen in the third. With two outs and the bases loaded, Lavin dropped a single down the right field line, plating freshmen Jordan Arndt (Lockport HS, Lockport, Ill.) and Zayne Blumberg (Rock Canyon HS, Denver, Colo.) with the only runs Wiersema would need.
 
That didn't keep the Vikings from adding four in the fourth, though. The inning started quietly enough, with Hippen retiring the first two batters. Behnke singled to center and walks to Teson and Ashley Anderson loaded the bases. Blumberg followed with an RBI single to center and Wiersema helped her own cause with a two-run single to right. Lavin drove in the final run of the frame with an infield hit.
 
Wiersema surrendered just three singles, issued one walk and struck out five to improve to 5-1 on the season.
 
Lavin was 3-for-4 with three RBI, Behnke 3-for-4 with a run scored and Teson 2-for-2 with a run scored. Blumberg scored twice and Wiersema drove in a pair.
 
Next up for Augustana is a Friday, April 24 doubleheader with North Park at Carver Field. The twin bill is a make-up of this past Sunday's cancelation.