SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Winona State (36-9, 17-3 NSIC) split a mid-week double header with Augustana (31-11, 16-4 NSIC) on Tuesday and remain in second place in the Northern Sun with ten games to play. The Warriors dropped game one 4-3 before winning 7-2 in the second game of the day.
GAME ONE
Late Homer Lifts Vikings
Two second inning runs gave the Warriors an early lead.
Samantha McLean drove in
Shaye Witte with a bunt.
Katelyn Kolb singled to left field, driving in
Paige Keegan and giving WSU a 2-0 lead.
For the third straight inning Winona State put a pair of runners on base, this time with a pair of singles to start the top of inning three. The Warrior would load the bases but a lineout and a double play ended the threat. Augustana's Samantha Eisenreich hit a solo homer to left in the bottom of the third to cut the Warriors lead in half. It was just the second hit allowed by
McKenna Larsen in the game.
The first two batters reached in the top of the fifth but again Winona State could not get on the board in the inning. The Vikings would take a lead in the bottom of the inning, hitting a three homer with two outs and go up 4-2..
Witte brought the Warriors within one, singling to left field and driving in
Lani Van Zyl. The rally would end there as Augustana picked up the 4-3 victory.
GAME TWO
Big Second Inning Leads to Victory
It was another good second inning for the Warriors in game two.
Jamee Schleis drove in a pair of runs with a single to right field, giving WSU a 2-0 lead. McLean kept the scoring going, driving in
Allyson O'Herron and Schleis with a three-run homer down the left field line.
The game was fairly quiet until the bottom of the fourth when Augustana loaded the bases with a two-out rally.
Jordyn Kleman got a strikeout to get out of the jam without giving up a run.
A solo homerun by the Vikings ended the shutout bid for Kleman in the bottom of the sixth. Winona State got the run back when Kolb hit a sac fly, driving in Schleis. Larsen put the Warriors up 7-1 with a double to right center, scoring McLean. Augustana picked up another homer in the seventh, making the final score 7-2.
This weekend the Warriors host Mary and Minot State in the final home weekend of the year. The Winona State home softball season comes to an end on Wednesday, April 26 when they host Concordia St. Paul.
