ELMHURST, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings softball team rolled to a sweep over the Elmhurst Bluejays on Friday, winning both games by run rule by scores of 9-0 and 11-3.
In game one, the two teams played to a scoreless opening frame before the Vikings put up a four-spot in the ensuing at-bat. Three straight singles loaded the bases with nobody out, leading up to an RBI fielder's choice by
Marley Behm for the game's first run. A wild pitch accounted for the second score before
McKensey Stontz' two-run single with two outs doubled the margin to giv the team a 4-0 lead.
The four-run differential remained intact for the next two innings, but the Vikings added onto their total in the top of the fifth with another pair of tallies.
Alaina Diaz brought in the first with a sac fly to the shallow outfield and was followed by another two-out RBI, this time from
Anna Maciejewski. The 6-0 lead quickly turned to 9-0 during the next inning as Augustana saw the first two touch home plate on an error by the Bluejays. Diaz sent in the final run for the team with an RBI groundout and the Vikings closed out the game with a three-up, three-down bottom half.
Lauren Koster earned the win on the mound after pitching five scoreless and striking out two. Stontz led a group of four players with multiple hits with her 3-4 effort.
In game two, the Bluejays got on the board first with a two-run, two-out double in the top of the first. With two down in their opening at-bat opportunity, the Vikings saw a two-run shot by
Aubrey Gradin even the score before
Haley Nelson brought in a pair with a double after back-to-back hits. Augustana added on to its 4-2 lead in the second, plating six to reach double figures after just two innings.
Alexis Duke began the scoring outburst with a two-run blast and was followed moments later by Gradin's third RBI of the game.
Emma Evans kept the momentum going with a run-scoring single and
Mikaylin Hofer and
Kennedy Williams each drove in runs to complete the six-run frame.
Elmhurst added a tally in the top of the fourth to keep the run rule out of reach for the time being, but Augie earned a walk-off win in the bottom of the fifth on a Stontz run-scoring double.
The Vikings notched 14 hits in the win and had five with two apiece. Hofer earned her sixth victory of the season on the mound.
With the results, Augustana improves to 20-6 overall and 8-2 in the CCIW. The team will be back in action tomorrow at North Central.
