No. 14-ranked Augustana limited Wayne State to three hits in sweeping the Wildcats 8-0 and 6-0 in the NSIC softball opener for both teams Wednesday afternoon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
In the opener, the host Vikings scored two runs in the fourth to break a scoreless tie and put the game out of reach with five runs in the fifth. They added another run in the sixth to end the game on the eight-run rule.
The Wildcats had just two baserunners in the game. Their only hit came in the sixth on a Taylor Menard single.
Makenna Adkison suffered the pitching loss, allowing six hits and seven runs over 4 1/3 innings with one strikeout and two walks. Riley Vanderveen worked the final 1 1/3 innings and allowed one hit and one run (unearned) with one strikeout.
In the second game, the Vikings scored all six runs in the third inning to complete the sweep, using six hits to score six runs.
Both Wildcat hits came in the first inning on back-to-back singles from Emily Chandler and Abbie Hix.
Maddie Moser was tagged the loss in the circle, charged with four runs on five hits in two innings of work. Adkison pitched one inning and gave up two runs on two hits with Vanderveen firing three innings of scoreless relief, giving up two hits with one walk.
Wayne State (9-10, 0-2 NSIC) is scheduled to host St. Cloud State Saturday and Minnesota Duluth Sunday in 12 p.m. NSIC doubleheaders at the Chapman Complex.
