Game 1 - #18 Augustana 4 Wayne State 1

Game 2 - #18 Augustana 4 Wayne State 1

            The Wayne State softball team could not overcome early deficits as the Wildcats suffered back-to-back 4-1 defeats at #18 Augustana College Wednesday afternoon in the NSIC softball opener for both teams played at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The host Vikings improve to 21-5 on the season and 2-0 in league play while the Wildcats dropped to 14-8 and 0-2 in the NSIC. 
            In the opener, all runs in the game were accounted for by home runs.  Augustana's Sarah Kennedy connected for a two-run blast to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead in the first inning. 
            Wayne State got on the board in the third inning when sophomore third baseman Alyssa Schropp homered over the left field fence to cut the Viking lead to 2-1.  Augustana countered in the bottom of the third when Carly Peterson hit a two-run homer down the left field line to close out the scoring, making the final 4-1.
            Augustana had eight hits in the game to four by Wayne State.  Schropp homered for the lone Wildcat extra base hit.  Shelby Wobken, Sam O'Brien and Megan Hagemann each had singles for WSC.
            Senior Kelcie Bormann (9-5) was tagged with the pitching loss, allowing four runs on eight hits over six innings of work with four strikeouts and two walks.
            The second game saw the host Vikings score four runs in the first two innings, taking advantage of two WSC errors and five walks to take a 4-0 lead allowing Augustana to post another 4-1 win over the Wildcats.
            Augustana scored two runs in the first and second innings while WSC scored its lone run of the contest in the fourth inning when Kelcie Bormann singled and scored on an Alyssa Schropp single to center field to close out the scoring.
            The Vikings held a 6-4 advantage in hits over the Wildcats in the second game.  Lexie Loos was 2 for 3 with a double to lead WSC at the plate.  Schropp singled and drove in Wayne State's lone run while Bormann singled and scored.
            Sara Scheffert (2-2) was the losing pitcher, working two innings and allowing four runs (two earned) on two hits with five walks and three strikeouts.  Junior Cassy Miller pitched four scoreless innings of relief, allowing four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
            Wayne State will play at home this weekend, entertaining Minot State Saturday at 1 p.m. and the University of Mary Sunday at noon in NSIC doubleheaders at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex in Wayne.