Softball 5/2/01 -- Augsburg 1-3, St. Olaf 2-1

Boxscore from Game 1 -- St. Olaf 2, Augsburg 1
Boxscore from Game 2 -- Augsburg 3, St. Olaf 1

STORY FROM ST. OLAF COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
NORTHFIELD, Minn. (5/2/01) -- The St. Olaf College softball team split a hard-fought Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Augsburg College Auggies on Wednesday afternoon at Mabel Shirley Field. The Oles used a two-run first inning to last out the visiting Auggies in the first game, winning 2-1. The second game was another tight one as Augsburg triumphed 3-1.

The Oles took advantage of two Augsburg errors in the bottom of game one's first inning. Christy Boraas (Sr., Madison, Minn.) and Carrie Coolie (Jr., Villard, Minn.) both reached home on a single by senior Christina Moses (New Brighton, Minn.) to give the Oles a 2-0 lead. The Oles only got one hit during the rest of the game, a Cooley single in the third inning.

However, the Auggies were also unable to generate much offense. After walking the game's opening hitter, Ole junior Grete Christenson (Springfield, Va.) threw a complete game, giving up only three hits and striking out four. Augsburg's Jennifer Lemke (So., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) struck out to lead off the fourth inning, but reached first on a passed ball. The Auggies got two hits in the inning -- a double from Rachael Ekholm (Jr., Richfield, Minn.) and a single from Karen Tweeten (Jr., Spring Grove, Minn.) -- to bring Lemke around the diamond and score their only run. Augsburg stranded two in that inning and Christenson was solid for the rest of the game, allowing only one baserunner in the final three innings.

Ekholm pitched a complete-game effort, allowing just two Ole hits.

The second game offered more scoring potential for both teams. St. Olaf had runners reach base in each of the first three innings, but was unable to capitalize. Augsburg also stranded runners in the second and third innings before breaking through with a two-run fourth inning. The Auggies strung together three straight hits -- including a two-run double by Tweeten -- to bring home both Jennie LaManna (Jr., South St. Paul, Minn.) and Melissa Lee (Fr., Cannon Falls, Minn./Randolph HS) and grab the advantage.

St. Olaf managed to load the bases with two outs in the fifth inning but stranded all three. Augsburg picked up one more run in the sixth when an error and two St. Olaf wild pitches allowed Tweeten to round the bases and score. Attempting to spark a late rally, Cooley led off the sixth inning with a single before using some nifty baserunning to score, taking home on a passed ball. But hers was the only run St. Olaf would muster, losing 3-1 and taking a series split. Freshman pitcher Melissa Ohm went the distance for the Oles. Mindy Evers (Jr., Comfrey, Minn.) picked up the pitching win for the Auggies in relief of Ekholm. Evers struck out two in four innings of relief.

The split moves St. Olaf to 4-13-1 in the MIAC, 8-19-1 overall. The Auggies stand at 15-19 overall, 8-11 in league play. The Oles next travel to Moorhead to play the Concordia Cobbers on Friday (5/4) at 4 p.m.. St. Olaf then closes its season at cross-town rival Carleton College on Saturday (5/5) at 1 p.m. Augsburg has one doubleheader remaining, a Saturday home series against Hamline University. Action begins at 1 p.m. at Anderson-Nelson Field.