ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings softball team will continue its string of three straight series at home on Saturday, March 16 when they welcome in the Buena Vista Beavers for a pair of games.

Augie is currently 3-3 on the season and is coming off a series split with the St. Ambrose Fighitng Bees this past Monday. After giving up a run in the opening inning of game one, Nadia Ranieri held the Bees to just one hit the rest of the way, striking out nine to earn the victory on the mound. Augustana earned all four of its runs in the bottom half of the first, seeing a two-RBI double from Morgan Bielfeldt before Emily Gad brought in a pair with her base hit to center field.

In the finale, St. Ambrose cashed in on two runs right away after an error extended the inning and eventually raced out to a 6-0 lead. Augie cut the deficit in half with a three-spot in the bottom of the sixth. After an error brought in the first tally, Ashlyn Mathers added onto the score with an RBI double to left field. Bielfeldt's sacrifice fly brought Augustana within three, but the team could not get another across as the Fighting Bees held on for the win.

Ranieri owns a 2.21 ERA through her first four starts and 19.0 innings, while her 8.5 strikeouts and 3.32 hits allowed per seven innings pace the conference. She is also the Vikings' top hitter, going 8-for-18 (.444) with two doubles and five RBI. She has hit safely five times this season, including a 3-4 effort against Edgewood on Feb. 23.

Buena Vista enters Saturday's doubleheader with a 7-9 overall record. The Beavers are coming off a 3-3 trip down to Florida, where they began with three wins in their first four contests. The team closed out its stay with a 10-7 loss to Domincan before falling 1-0 to Wittenberg on Wednesday. All 16 games this season for the Beavers have been at a neutral site, with Saturday marking the first true road games of the season for the team.

Saturday will be the first meeting between the teams since 2015. Augustana is 3-0 all-time in the series, winning both of the games in 2015 down in St. Louis, Mo. Start time for game one is scheduled for 12 p.m.