ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings softball team went 1-1 on Friday against the visiting North Park Vikings, winning game one by a final of 3-0 before dropping the final by a score of 3-2.
Game One (W 3-0)
After a scoreless first inning both ways, the Vikings grabbed their first runs of the game in the bottom of the second. With two outs and nobody on, the Vikings strung together three straight base runners to load the bases.
Nadia Ranieri sent one up the middle into center field, scoring both
Kennedy Williams and
Olivia Blood to put the Vikings up 2-0.Â
Ranieri continued to keep the visitors in check, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning. Augie added onto their two-run cushion in the fifth, beginning with a hit by pitch that later came around to score on an
Ashlyn Mathers sacrifice fly. North Park posted their biggest threat in the sixth, putting two runners on base with a hit and an error with only one out. Ranieri got out the jam, striking out a batter and forcing a fly out. The junior secured a three-up, three-down seventh inning to record the complete-game shutout.
Augustana out-hit North Park 7-2 in the win, led Ranieri's 3-3 effort. She finished the game on the mound with 10 strikeouts, earning her 11th win of the year.Â
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Game Two (L 3-2)
The teams traded two scoreless frames to begin the finale, with North Park striking first in the bottom half of the third with all three of their runs. With two outs and a runner on second in the fifth,
Morgan Bielfeldt notched the first of two Vikings runs in the inning, sending a single to center to bring in
Jennica Soliz.
Claudia Buchholz mirrored her teammate in the ensuing at-bat, driving in pinch runner
Maya Viel for the team's second tally.
The 3-2 score remained intact all the way until the end, with Augie collecting just one hit over the final two innings. The visitors out-hit the Vikings 8-7 in the contest, with Augustana led by Blood's 3-3 performance.
Lauren Koster struck out a career-high seven on the mound.
With the results, the Vikings sit at 18-16 on the season and 7-5 in the CCIW. The team will be back in action tomorrow for their final home series against the Wheaton Thunder. Start time for game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Carver Field.
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