ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings softball team split a home conference doubleheader with the Millikin Big Blue on Saturday, winning game one by a score of 6-0 before falling in the finale by a score of 4-0. The victory in game one was the first for Augustana over Millikin in exactly five years, snapping a 10-game losing skid to the Big Blue.

Augie raced out ahead of Millikin in the opening game with a three-run first inning, fueled by a pair of home runs. After a Jennica Soliz double, McKensey Stontz continued her dominance at the plate with her fourth home run in the five games. Two batters later, Claudia Buchholz sent one over the fence to make it a 3-0 lead for Augie after one inning of action.

In the second, Augustana added another three-spot to double its advantage to six. With two runners on, Soliz brought in the first tally of the inning with an RBI fielder's choice before Stontz added another pair of runs batted in with a two-out double to center field. Augustana brought a 6-0 lead out of the second inning. Millikin threatened in the fifth with runners on second and third with one out, but a groundout and strikeout from Nadia Ranieri got the Vikings out the inning as they went on to complete the shutout.

Augustana out-hit Millikin 9-5 in the win, led by two hits apiece from Ranieri and Stontz. Ranieri earned the win on the mound after throwing a complete game and striking out eight.

The Big Blue earned the win in game two after a pair of two-run innings in the first and third. Augie threatened with a leadoff double by Buchholz in the seventh, but could not scratch across a run and the visitors claimed the win by a final of 4-0.

With the splits, the Vikings sit at 9-7 overall and 2-2 in the CCIW. The team will be back in action Tuesday at home vs. Monmouth.