Softball 4/24/04 -- Gustavus Adolphus 2-13, Augsburg 1-0 (2nd game 5 inn.)

GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (4/24/04) -- Ingrid Olson (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) went 4-for-7 at the plate, with a double in each game, three RBI and three runs scored, leading Gustavus Adolphus College to a doubleheader sweep of host Augsburg College in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball action Saturday afternoon at Edor Nelson Field.

With wins of 2-1 and 13-0 (five innings), Gustavus remained in the hunt for a berth in the four-team MIAC postseason playoffs with the sweep, improving to 20-14 overall, 14-6 in MIAC play. Augsburg ended its season with an eight-game losing streak in dropping to 9-27 overall, 5-17 in MIAC play. Augsburg dropped 17 of its last 20 contests, all in MIAC play.

Gustavus was limited to just two hits in the first off of Augsburg starter Shelley Harris (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest HS) -- both by Olson.

In the third inning, Claire Mielke (Sr., Stillwater, Minn./Mounds Park Academy HS) walked and scored on an Olson double down the left-field line. The Gusties took the lead in the sixth inning, as Olson singled, moved to third on an error and sacrifice bunt, and scored on a fielder's choice by Audrey Lenoch (So., Pine Island, Minn.), as Olson slid under an attempted tag at the plate on an infield grounder.

Augsburg scored its lone run in the fourth inning, as Melissa Lee (Sr., Cannon Falls, Minn./Randolph HS) tripled to right-center and came in on a single by Kati Tweeten (Fr., Spring Grove, Minn.). Augsburg had two chances to tie or take the lead in the final two innings, but an Auggie was stranded at third base on a strikeout in the sixth inning, and runners at second and third were stranded on a groundout to end the game.

Harris struck out three while walking two for the Auggies. Sara Medved (Sr., Shoreview, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) pitched a complete-game win for the Gusties, striking out six while walking one and allowing five hits.

The Gusties poured it on in the second game, pounding out 12 hits and taking advantage of four Augsburg errors to end the game early. A two-run homer by Lenoch to deep right field put the Gusties on the board in the second inning.

Five more runs came across in the third, as Medved brought in a run on a fielder's choice and Janie Hanson (Jr., Frost, Minn./Blue Earth Area HS) pulled off a suicide-squeeze bunt to bring in another run. Mielke singled with the bases loaded, and an errant throw brought in three runs to give the Gusties a commanding 7-0 lead.

Lenoch reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch in the fourth inning. Gustavus put five more runs on the board in the fifth. Olson hit a two-run single, Lenoch hit a run-scoring single, and Molly Biehn (Sr., Mankato, Minn./Loyola HS) was credited with a two-run home run to center to complete the scoring.

Lenoch went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and three runs driven in, while Biehn and Olson each went 2-for-4 with two RBI, Biehn scoring once and Olson scoring twice. Mielke went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.

Katy Berquam (Sr., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) pitched the first three innings for the win for the Gusties, surrendering only a first-inning single by Augsburg's Lee and a walk while striking out two. Joyce Dewitz (Fr., Good Thunder, Minn./Maple River HS) pitched the final two innings in relief.

Augsburg's Harris took the loss, striking out one. Just six of the 13 runs charged against her were earned.

The game was the final one for four Augsburg seniors -- Lee, Kristen Lideen (Sr., Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS), Trisha Pederson (Sr., Cloquet, Minn./Proctor HS) and Lindsay Ruliffson (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./South HS).

Gustavus returns to MIAC action with its final doubleheader of the regular season on Sunday (4/25) at 1 p.m., hosting St. Benedict.