STORM LAKE, Iowa -- The Augustana Vikings softball team will continue its 2025 campaign with a non-conference doubleheader against the Buena Vista Beavers on Thursday, April 3.

The Vikings are coming off a 3-1 spring break trip, splitting a pair of games with Cumberland before sweeping Warner in their most recent contests. Across the two games, Augie out-scored the Royals 24-5, including a 16-4 win by run rule in game two. In the victory, the Vikings did not waste any time putting up a big inning with five in their opening at-bat. Alexis Duke started things off with a double before scoring on a McKensey Stontz single during the next at-bat. Alaina Diaz made it three runs to cross home plate in as many at-bats with a two-run home run to follow, and Emma Evans sent another two-run shot over the fence later in the frame to bring the score out to 5-0. Stontz and Diaz both added another RBI hits in the second to move the margin to seven entering the bottom half.

Warner cut the gap to three with four runs in the bottom of the second, but Augie pulled away for good after nine Vikings touched home in the third. Marley Behm was the first to bring in a run with her base hit before Anna Maciejewski drove in a pair with a hit in her first plate appearance of the game. After a Duke RBI groundout, Stontz and Evans each brought in another to stretch the lead out to nine at 13-4. Kennedy Williams' bases-clearing double made it a 16-4 game after three innings, which proved to be the final score via run rule. Augustana collected 18 hits in the win, with five notching multiple base knocks. Stontz and Diaz each racked up three hits apiece and led the Vikings with three runs batted in. Mikaylin Hofer secured the win on the mound.

Buena Vista enters the doubleheader at 5-9 after recently sweeping Grinnell in a two-game set back on March 22. The Beavers took game one by a score of 10-7 before winning the finale with a 7-5 final. The victory marked the team's fourth straight win overall after beginning the season 1-8. Buena Vista is led by Paige Druskis' .391 batting average and 18 hits. She is also the team leader in runs scored with 12. 

Augustana leads the all-time sereies 5-0. The Vikings won both meetings at home last season.

Start time for game one is scheduled for 3 p.m.