Box Score BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings softball team saw their season come to a close on Friday in the CCIW Tournament, falling to the top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan Titans by a score of 4-3 in eight innings.

The Titans took an early lead, scoring runs in each of the first two innings to jump out in front 2-0. Illinois Wesleyan continued to hold Augustana without a hit as they added to their advantage with another single score in the fourth. The Vikings countered with a run of their own in the bottom half, using an error, wild pitch, and sacrifice fly to notch their first tally of the game having not yet registered a hit.

A pair of singles from Jennica Soliz and Nadia Ranieri were sandwiched in between a pair of strikeouts to begin the sixth for the Vikings. Claudia Buchholz came through in the clutch after both runners advanced into scoring position on a passed ball, sending a two-run double to right-center field to even the score at 3-3. Ranieri mowed down the Titans in order in the seventh, setting up a walk-off opportunity for Augie in the bottom half, who served as the home team in the contest.

The Vikings saw two batters reach after consecutive errors from Illinois Wesleyan put runners on first and third with nobody away. A long battle from Olivia Blood ensued at the plate, but a fly ball to left field resulted in two outs as Augie was thrown out at the plate on the play. A throw from a tough grounder up the middle from Lauren Koster followed to send the game into extras.

Illinois Wesleyan quickly put a runner in scoring position after a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt put the go-ahead score on second base. With two outs in the inning, the Titans sent a ball into the outfield to score the eventual game-winning run. The Vikings did not muster a base runner in the bottom half as the top-seeded Titans escaped with the 4-3 win.

Ranieri went all eight innings on the mound and struck out 10. She finishes the season with 183 total strikeouts, which ties her first for most in a single season with Jilian Widick, who recorded the same amount in 2004. Her 15 wins ties her for seventh most in a single season as well.

Four different Vikings registered hits on Friday, with Buchholz and Bielfeldt each grabbing an RBI.

Augustana ends the year with a 22-20 record, their most wins since the 2018 season. Their tie for third in conference is their best standing in the CCIW since 2014.