BOX SCORE ROCHESTER, Minn. – Augustana racked up 11 hits on their way to defeating Winona State 5-2 in the first round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament. The Vikings improve to 31-13 and advance to the second round, while the Warriors now own a 32-11 record and will face Wayne State in the bottom bracket.
Theresa McMahon scored three runs to lead the Vikings while she and
Lindsay Spanton each tallied two hits apiece. All nine starting Augustana batters recorded a hit, the first time that has happened all season.
Jenelle Trautmann is credited with the win, pushing her record to 25-9, moving her into ninth in Augustana's record books for wins in a season.
Carley Pickett notched her fourth save of the year with two innings of work.
After a being delayed a full day, McMahon wasted no time once the Vikings got on the field. McMahon blasted the first pitch of the game to the right field fence, just a foot shy of a leadoff home run. After McMahon was sacrificed to second,
Lindsay Spanton singled up the middle and Trautmann walked to load the bases.
Erin Kempf capitalized on the Vikings early traffic by singling through the left side and scored two runs for the Vikings. Winona State answered with a run in the bottom half, but Trautmann avoided any further damage by striking out two Warriors with the bases loaded.
Pickett picked up where the Vikings left off by drawing a walk to lead off the second inning. Pickett advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and McMahon plated her with a single up the middle.
Jenny Brown notched the fourth Augustana hit and Trautmann made it a 4-1 one game with a single to score McMahon.
After holding the Warriors hitless in three consecutive innings, Ashley Walker hit a solo home run to left field to cut the Vikings' lead to 4-2 after five innings. The Vikings responded immediately with a run in the top of the sixth.
Lindsay Spanton roped a ball down the right field line to score McMahon from second base and give Augustana a three-run cushion at 5-2. Pickett would come on to relieve Trautmann in the bottom of the sixth after the Warriors led their half of the inning off with a single. Pickett preserved the 5-2 Viking lead by inducing a 4-6-3 double play and an inning-ending groundout to
Brittany Coufal.
In the bottom of the seventh, Pickett fanned the first batter, before an infield single extended the inning. Pickett caused a groundout and then finished Walker off with a ground ball to Brown at second base, giving the Vikings a 5-2 win.
The Vikings will face the winner of Minnesota Duluth and Concordia-St. Paul at 4 p.m. tomorrow in Rochester, Minn. at the RCTC Dome.
