Softball 4/13/02 -- St. Thomas 3-7, Augsburg 1-0

GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (4/13/02) -- Andrea Sweeney (Jr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley HS) got two key outs with the bases loaded to pick up the save in the first game, then pitched a complete-game shutout in the second game, leading the University of St. Thomas to a doubleheader sweep of host Augsburg College in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball action Saturday afternoon at the University of Minnesota's Cowles Stadium. St. Thomas won the first game 3-1 and the second game 7-0.

St. Thomas improves to 19-5 overall and 6-0 in MIAC play. Augsburg drops to 5-13-1 overall and 1-7 in the MIAC, having lost its last five games in a row. The games were moved to the U of M because the dome over Augsburg's home field, Edor Nelson Field, is being taken down this weekend.

Sweeney entered the first game with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Augsburg had loaded the bases with the heart of the order due up. Sweeney forced Augsburg's top hitter, Rachael Ekholm (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) to hit a grounder to shortstop Shannon Moore (Jr., Kenilworth, Ill./New Trier HS), who threw home to force out the baserunner. Then, Sweeney struck out Augsburg's Jennie LaManna (Sr., South St. Paul, Minn.) to end the game.

Sweeney then pitched a complete-game win in the second game, striking out five Auggies while waking four and allowing six hits. Augsburg stranded 10 runners in the second game, compared to only three for St. Thomas.

The first game was a pitchers' duel between Augsburg's Ekholm and St. Thomas starter Stacy Tamble (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS). Ekholm picked up five strikeouts while walking two, while Tamble struck out seven while allowing three walks.

The Tommies put a run on the board in the second, when Kristi Huegel (Fr., Alta Vista, Iowa/New Hampton HS) singled and later came around to score on a fielding error. Augsburg tied the game in fifth, when Sam Kronschnabel (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) walked and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ekholm.

The Tommies took the lead in the top of the sixth, as Huegel singled, and pinch runner Amanda Peterson (Fr., St. Paul, Minn./Harding HS) scored on a single by Melissa Konsti (So., Oakdale, Minn./Concordia Academy HS). Konsti later scored on a fielder's choice by Meghan Hovick (So., Story City, Iowa/South Hamilton HS).

Huegel went 2-for-3 to lead the Tommies, while Michelle Wong (Fr., Golden Valley, Minn./Hopkins HS) went 2-for-4. Augsburg's Kronschnabel, Kristen Lideen (So., Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) and Becky Ruckel (Fr., Andover, Minn./Anoka HS) had two hits apiece.

St. Thomas turned a close second game into a rout in the fourth inning, when consecutive doubles, by Moore and Becky Hilgert (Sr., Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS), plated a run, and Hilgert later scored as Konsti reached on a fielder's choice. A throw to second to attempt to put out Konsti sailed into center field, and Konsti came around to score.

Two more runs came across in the sixth, when Hilgert doubled to drive in Moore, and later scored on a fielder's choice by Konsti. The Tommies scored a run in the seventh, when pinch runner Natalia Haala (So., New Ulm, Minn./Cathedral HS) scored on a wild pitch. Heather Martin (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Blake HS) also scored for the Tommies, scoring on a passed ball in the first inning.

Martin, Moore and Hilgert had two hits apiece, Hilgert going 2-for-3 and Moore and Martin going 2-for-4. Ruckel went 2-for-4 and Christine Matthews (Fr., Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) went 2-for-3 to lead the Auggies.

Ekholm recorded three strikeouts while walking two in the second game for Augsburg.

St. Thomas returns to MIAC action on Tuesday (4/16) at 3 p.m., playing at Concordia-Moorhead. Both teams play in MIAC doubleheaders on Wednesday (4/17) at 4 p.m., Augsburg playing at St. Mary's and St. Thomas hosting Carleton.