Softball 5/4/08 -- Augsburg at MIAC Tournament -- Hamline 5, Augsburg 0
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SHOREVIEW, Minn. (5/4/08) -- Sara Mickelson (SR, West St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) hit a three-run home run to right field to cap a four-run fifth inning, giving Hamline University a 5-0 victory over Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason playoff elimination game on Sunday morning at the Rice Creek Fields.
Jessalyn Weaver (SO, Eagan, Minn.) pitched a complete-game shutout victory for the Pipers (26-14), who advanced to face the top-seed University of St. Thomas (40-3), the No. 3-ranked team in the Division III national polls, in Sunday's final. In that game, the Tommies clinched the conference playoff title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III national playoffs with a 1-0 victory.
Jolene Ross (SR, Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) had two of Augsburg's (20-23) seven hits in the game. Augsburg stranded six runners on base in the game.
Augsburg finished one of its most dramatic comeback seasons in school history. After finishing 4-34 last season and starting 4-14 this season, Augsburg won 16 of its final 25 games to reach the 20-win mark for the first time since the 1995 season (20-18) and just the ninth time in the last 30 years (since the 1979 season). Augsburg reached the MIAC postseason playoffs for the first time in the event's five-year history this year, while also reaching the postseason for the first time since 1984.
The Auggies' best chance to score runs came in the first inning, as they took advantage of three hits and two Hamline errors, with hits coming from Jennifer Castillo (FY, Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS), Ross and Sarah Mueller (JR, Green Bay, Wis./Southwest HS). However, all three of the outs in the inning came on runners being thrown out at the plate, and the Auggies stranded two runners on base.
After that, Hamline pitcher Weaver allowed just four hits and a walk, as the Auggies only reached second base once the rest of the way. Weaver had two strikeouts in the game.
Hamline scored a run in the fourth inning, as Ashley Anderberg (SO, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) doubled and scored on a single by Sarah Dittberner (JR, Forest Lake, Minn.). In the fifth, Heidi Larsen (FY, Andover, Minn.) doubled and came across on a single by Jourdan Ulrich (JR, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS), setting the stage for Mickelson's three-run homer.
Augsburg starter Melissa Larsen (JR, Andover, Minn.) struck out one in 4.1 innings of work, with Sarah Green (JR, Winnebago, Minn./Blue Earth Area HS) striking out three while walking one in 1.2 innings of relief.
Castillo and Tiffany Magnuson (JR, Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy HS) were named to the All-Tournament Team by the coaches at the tournament. Castillo hit .444 (4-of-9) during the tournament, while Magnuson hit .571 (4-for-7) with an RBI.
