WHEATON, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings softball team will be back on the road on Saturday, April 26 for an important two-game series with the Wheaton Thunder.

Augie is currently 19-11 overall and alone in second place in the CCIW with a 7-3 conference record. The team is coming off a non-conference split on Thursday at UW-Platteville, winning game one by a score of 8-1 before falling in game two, 4-1. In the win over the Pioneers, Claudia Buchholz broke a scoreless tie in the fourth with a two-run home run before the Vikings added three runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings to pull away. Nadia Ranieri earned her 11th win of the year after pitching a complete game with nine strikeouts.

Wheaton sits at 16-16 on the season and 5-7 in league play, recently splitting a road doubleheader with North Central on Tuesday. The Thunder dropped the opener 7-0, but bounced back with an extra-inning victory in game two by a score of 2-1. Wheaton is led this season offensively by Abby Whitehead, who owns a batting average of .383 and an OPS over 1.000. The Thunder have seen success on their home field this season, winning seven of 10 games. The team has split its last two doubleheaders at home with North Park and Carroll.

Augustana is 46-25 all-time against Wheaton. The Vikings swept a home doubleheader last season over the Thunder, winning by scores of 4-2 and 6-5.

Start time for game on Saturday is scheduled for 1 p.m.