GAME 1 BOX
GAME 2 BOX

MINNEAPOLIS (4/24/03) -- Molly Robinson (Sr., Northfield, Minn.) went 3-for-3 with a two-run home run in the first game for St. Olaf College, and Jennifer Lemke (Sr., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) went 2-for-3 to lead Augsburg College in the second contest, as the Oles and Auggies split a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Tuesday evening at Augsburg's Edor Nelson Field.

St. Olaf used a five-run sixth inning to the first game 6-3, but Augsburg rallied to win the second contest 4-3. St. Olaf is now 6-18 overall and 5-11 in MIAC play, while Augsburg is now 6-26 overall and 3-15 in MIAC play.

The Oles opened the scoring in the first game on the strength of a Kendra Rick (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.) triple. She scored after teammate Meghan Urganski (Jr., Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) reached base on a fielding error.

But Augsburg took the lead with three runs on one play in the third inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Augsburg's Jennie LaManna (Sr., South St. Paul, Minn.) reached base on an infield throwing error, allowing three runs to score as the ball skipped into right field.

St. Olaf rallied in the sixth, however, to take the win. All the runs were scored after two were out. Rick reached base on an error and scored on a single by Rachel Colson (Sr., Shreveport, La./Oak Park, Calif., HS). A double by Kirsten Haaland (Sr., Billings, Mont.) drove in two runs, and Robinson hit her first home run of the season on a towering fly ball to left-center field.

Laura Torgerson (Fr., Red Wing, Minn.) picked up the pitching win with a complete-game effort, allowing just three Augsburg hits. Shelley Harris (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest HS) took the loss for Augsburg, despite striking out six and allowing just one walk in a complete-game effort. Just one run was earned of the six runs allowed against her.

The second game hinged on several errors, as just three of the seven runs scored by the two teams were earned -- two charged to Augsburg starter Cassie Hoss (Fr., Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park HS) and one against St. Olaf's Bekki Hagen (So., Northfield, Minn.).

Augsburg held a 2-0 lead after six innings, as LaManna drove in a run on a two-out double in the fourth inning and Sam Kronschnabel (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) singled and scored on a two-out fielding error in the sixth.

In the seventh, St. Olaf took a lead with a three-run inning, as Haaland scored after Megan Corson (So., Woodbury, Minn.) reached base on an error after a dropped fly ball. Another run scored on a pinch-hit single by Sarah Herby (Jr., Richfield, Minn.), and Corson scored on a sacrifice fly by Rose Keimig (Fr., Princeton, Minn.).

But Augsburg claimed the win in its last at-bat. Lemke reached base on a one-out single, and was replaced at first by pinch-runner Melynda Kleewein (So., Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond HS). Kleewein moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and after leading hitter Kristen Lideen (Jr., Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) walked, Kronschnabel loaded the bases on an infield fielder's choice, as a throw to third to try to catch a sliding Kleewein was too late.

With two outs, Christine Mathews (So., Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) hit a towering pop-up to the infield, but the ball was dropped on a catch attempt, allowing Kleewein to score the tying run and Lideen to score the winning run.

Haaland and Robinson each went 2-for-3 with a run scored for St. Olaf, while Lemke was the lone Auggie to claim more than one hit, going 2-for-3.

Hoss picked up her first collegiate win for the Auggies, striking out two and walking two. Hagen struck out one and walked two in a losing effort.

Both teams return to MIAC action on Saturday (4/26) at 1 p.m., with Augsburg playing at St. Catherine and St. Olaf hosting Carleton.