sports

AUGUSTANA HITS 11 HOME RUNS TO SWEEP UMC SOFTBALL

April 14, 2024

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles Softball team ran into a very good Augustana Viking team and lost 22-1 in five innings and 11-3 in five innings in an NSIC doubleheader in Crookston. Augustana hit 11 home runs in the games. UMC has never beat Augustana in the 21 meetings dating back to 2011.

GAME ONE –

FIRST INNING
Augustana came out strong and led off the game with a walk, a single, and a three-run home run. The next batter tripled before another Augustana home run for a 5-0 lead. UMC started the bottom of the inning strong with a single from Paige Schwaluk (Sr. Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) and a Whitnee Curry (Jr. Lincoln, Neb) bunt single. The next three batters were retired, and the UMC threat was over.

SECOND INNING
Augustana’s home run parade continued in the second inning. After a ground out, the Vikings singled before a home run for a 7-0 lead. The next batter hit a solo home run for an 8-0 lead. UMC made a pitching change but that didn’t matter as the next batter hit another home run for a 9-0 lead. The Vikings followed with two singles and a run scored on a sacrifice fly for a 10-0 lead.
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the inning.

THIRD INNING
Augustana had back-to-back singles before a pop-out. After a walk, Augustana’s Grace Brink hit a grand slam for a 14-0 lead. The home run was Brink’s second of the game. The Vikings had three singles to score another run for a 15-0 lead.
UMC finally got on the board with Maddie Shwaluk (Sr. Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) doubled, Curry had a bunt single before Rayna French (Fresh. La Salle, Manitoba) singled to score a run, and the Golden Eagles trailed 15-1.

FOURTH INNING
Augustana had four straight singles to score two more runs for a 17-1 lead. UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the inning.

FIFTH INNING
Augustana had back-to-back doubles to score a run. After a strikeout, Torri Chute hit a two-run home run for a 20-1 lead. After two singles, the Vikings added two more runs for a 22-1 lead.
UMC had to score at least 14 runs to keep the game going, but they were retired in 1-2-3 fashion, and Augustana won the game 22-1.

GAME ONE BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE

Game 1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Augustana	5	5	5	2	5	–	–	22	27	0
UMC	0	0	1	0	0	–	–	1	5	0

For UMC-
Whitnee Curry – 2 for 2
Rayna French – 1 for 2, rbi
Maddie Shwaluk – 1 for 2, run
Paige Shwaluk – 1 for 3

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
Evie Stuck – UMC (L)	1.1	7	8	8	1	0
Kailee Pollard – UMC Sydney Eggers – UMC	2.2 1.0	14 6	9 5	9 5	1 1	1 1
Grace Glanzer – Aug (W) Hailey Grimmius – Aug	4.0 1.0	5 0	1 0	1 0	0 0	7 0

GAME TWO –

FIRST INNING
Augustana came out strong to start the second game with a pair of singles followed by a three-run home run. After a flyout, Grace Brink hit her third home run of the day for a 4-0 lead.
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the inning.

SECOND INNING
Augustana started the inning with a single. After a sacrifice out, the next Viking batter hit a line drive that was caught by UMC shortstop Whitnee Curry, and she applied a diving tag to get the double play at second base to get out of the inning.
UMC took advantage of some Viking pitchier control problems, and with two outs, C. Dombrowski, I. Spencer, and E. Thompson walked to load the bases. Maddie Shwaluk hit a line drive off the middle of the left field fence to score two runs. Another run scored on a wild pitch, and UMC trailed 4-3.

THIRD INNING
Augustana singled to start the third inning, but the next three batters were retired. UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with three flyouts.

FOURTH INNING
Augustana opened the game up in the fourth inning with three singles before an Andrea Cain grand slam for an 8-3 lead. Augustana added a single and another home run for a 10-3 lead. The Vikings added another run with a double to take an 11-3 lead. UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the inning.

FIFTH INNING
Augustana was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the inning, and UMC needed at least one run to keep the game going, but they were retired in 1-2-3 fashion, and Augustana won the game 11-3 to complete the sweep.

UMC drops to 11-31 on the year and 4-14 in the NSIC and will host Bemidji State on Tuesday. Augustana remains in first place in the NSIC with a 33-13 record overall and 19-1 in the NSIC.

CLICK HERE FOR THE GAME 2 BOX SCORE