MOLINE, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings softball team split its CCIW-opening games on Saturday, defeating the Carthage Firebirds in game one by a score of 13-0 before falling in the finale by a final of 10-2.

In game one, Augie struck first with some creative base running after McKensey Stontz and Alaina Diaz connected on back-to-back base hits. With a runner on first, Diaz' single to center moved Stontz to third before she made an attempt home towards the plate once the ball reached the infield. A throw towards home sailed high to allow her score and give the team a 1-0 advantage.

Augustana broke it open in the bottom of the second after plating seven runs on six hits. Two singles and a walk began the scoring outburst to load the bases with one out and was followed by a two-RBI single from Alexis Duke to make it a 3-0 lead. Two batters later, Diaz earned an RBI with a groundout to second before Aubrey Gradin's single up the middle moved the differential out to five. Emma Evans put the exclamation point on the inning with a three-run home run to right-center field to give Augie an 8-0 cushion enter the third. 

After a scoreless third both ways, the Vikings poured it on with five more tallies in the bottom of the fourth. Two walks and a double loaded the bases with no body out and an RBI groundout from Gradin brought in the first run of the frame during the next at-bat. Evans then sent in a run with an infield single, followed by a bases-loaded walk issued to Teagan Nees two batters later. Marley Behm and Emma Schmidt each knocked home runs with base hits to close out the five-run scoring spurt. Lauren Koster put up a scoreless top half of the fifth to clinch the win by run rule.

As a team, Augustana collected 14 hits and was led by a 3-3 effort from Stontz and a pair of hits from both Evans and Neese. Koster earned her seventh victory on the mound after pitching five scoreless. She also held the CCIW's leader in hits, Clare Rettler, without a hit for the first time this season. 

In game two, Carthage jumped out to a 3-0 lead in its first at-bat. The Vikings inched closer in the third, posting their only two hits of the game. With two outs and a runner on second, Duke brought in Kennedy Williams with a base hit before stealing second and getting in scoring position. Stontz sent her home with a single during the ensuing at-bat. The Firebirds added two in the fourth and five in the sixth to complete the eight-run victory.

With the results, Augustana sits at 12-2 overall and 1-1 in the CCIW. The team will be back in action tomorrow at Millikin.