ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings softball team completed a two-game sweep of the Carroll Pioneers on Sunday, belting five home runs and scoring 20 runs across the series. Augustana took game one by a score of 12-4 before winning the finale 8-0.

Game One (W 12-4, 6 inn.)

It was a back-and-forth start to the doubleheader, with Augustana responding to Carroll's two-spot in their opening bat with a run of their own in the bottom half. After the first two Vikings struck out, Morgan Bielfeldt sent one over the left field fence for the team's first run. The Vikings took their first lead in the second inning, adding three more to their total to make it 4-2 in their favor. After an Emily Gad double began the at-bat, the Vikings saw back-to-back singles, which included a run-producing hit from Meghan Nixon to tie the game. An RBI single from Kennedy Williams two batters later gave the Vikings a 3-2 advantage, followed up by an RBI groundout from Jennica Soliz to round out the scoring. Carroll caught back up with a run in the third and another in the fourth to even things at four runs apiece. 

The Vikings began the bottom of the fourth with three consecutive singles to load up the bases, eventually bringing in two on a Nadia Ranieri single. The Vikings pushed their lead to three with an RBI single from Ashyln Mathers in the next inning prior to erupting for five runs in the sixth to walk-off the Pioneers by run rule in game one. Ranieiri grabbed her third RBI of the contest to begin the scoring surge, bringing in Williams who doubled to begin the frame. After a pop up brought the inning to two outs, Claudia Buchholz notched a two-run home run to left center to cushion the team's advantage to 10-4. Mathers mirrored her teammate two batters later, sending one over the fence and off the scoreboard to complete the 12-4 victory for Augustana.

Augie out-hit Carroll 15-8 in the win, led by three from Mathers. Four others notched multi-hit efforts, with Ranieri joining Mathers as the team leaders in runs batted in with three. Ranieri earned her 11th win on the mound, striking out six.

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Game Two (W 8-0, 5 inn.)

Ranieri got the offense going in game two right away, putting the Vikings up 1-0 with a home run to left. After a scoreless second, Augustana pulled away from Carroll with five runs, starting the scoring burst with a run-producing double from Mathers. Starting pitcher Lauren Koster helped her case with an RBI single moments later, followed up with a sacrifice fly from Marley Behm to bring the score to 4-0. Olivia Blood capped off the five-run frame with a two-run single to bring in Nixon and Allison Roessler.

For the second time in game two, Ranieri began an inning with a leadoff home run, this time coming in the fourth. The Vikings scratched out their eighth run of the contest in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk issued to Bielfeldt before Koster shut down the Pios in the bottom half. Koster worked around the first two batters getting on base to notch the complete-game shutout.

Augustana out-hit Carroll 7-2 in the finale, led by Ranieri's 2-2 effort at the plate. She also added two RBI and three runs scored. Koster secured her sixth win of the year on the mound, striking out two and allowing just two hits.

With the wins, the Vikings improve to 17-15 on the season and 6-4 in the CCIW. Augustana will host North Park on Friday, April 28 in a rescheduled doubleheader for their next outing. Start time of game one is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Carver Field.