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Don Stoner

Auggies close year in MIAC Playoffs

BOXSCORE 1 | BOXSCORE 2 MIAC SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS PAGE
MIAC SOFTBALL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM


GUSTAVUS GAME BOXSCORE
ST. MARY'S GAME BOXSCORE


SHOREVIEW, Minn. -- The Augsburg College softball team saw its season come to an end on Friday, falling in two games at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoffs at Rice Creek Fields. No. 3-seed Augsburg dropped a 7-2 decision to No. 2 seed Gustavus Adolphus College in the first game, then was eliminated in a 6-2 loss to No. 4-seed St. Mary's University.

Bekka Kelly (FY, Columbia Heights, Minn.) went 5-for-7 at the plate on Friday for Augsburg, which finished its season at 20-22 overall. Kelly scored a run in each game, hitting a two-run home run in the third inning to account for the Auggie scoring in the game against St. Mary's. She went 3-for-3 at the plate against the Gusties and 2-for-4 against the Cardinals.

Kelly earned a spot on the 12-player MIAC Softball All-Tournament team, voted on by the tournament coaches following the tournament.

Emily Smith (SO, Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS) went 3-for-5 at the plate in the two games, while Bri Dorale (JR, Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) went 3-for-8 with a run scored.

Augsburg finished 13-9 in league play, qualifying for the MIAC Playoffs for the second time since the conference established the four-team postseason tournament in 2004, and the first time since 2008. Under sixth-year head coach Tim Gormley, Augsburg has recorded 20-plus victories in four of the last five seasons, in addition to 10-plus conference victories in four of the last five seasons. Augsburg's third-place finish in the MIAC standings was its best conference regular-season finish since a third-place finish in 1992 (24-12 overall, 16-4 MIAC).

Against the Gusties, Augsburg scored a run in the first inning, as Kelly reached base on a fielder's choice and scored following a Gustie fielding error. But the Gusties took command in the second inning, scoring five runs. A solo home run by Mackenzie Dalton, an RBI single by Lisa Klass, a two-run single by Jen Ulmen, along with a run scoring as a result of an error, accounted for the Gustie scoring.

Augsburg cut into the lead in the top of the fifth. Stephanie Saxe (SR, Stacy, Minn./North Branch HS) reached base on an error and scored on a single by Kylee Persing (SR, Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka HS). But Gustavus scored twice in the fifth inning, on an RBI single by Kat Dahl and on a fielding error, to complete the scoring.

Amanda Eaton (SO, White Bear Lake, Minn.) took the pitching loss for the Auggies, with a strikeout and walk in 1.2 innings pitched. Persing pitched 4.1 innings of relief for the Auggies. Kate Rentschler picked up the complete-game pitching win for the Gusties, striking out four while not walking a batter.

Against St. Mary's, a five-run second inning gave the Cardinals the lead to stay, keyed by a two-run homer by Alex Raske. Kristen Thelen and Paige Carter had RBI singles, and another run came across on a wild pitch.

Augsburg cut into the lead in the third inning, as Kelly connected on her second collegiate home run, a two-run drive. The Cardinals scored a run in the fourth, as Paige Carter hit a run-scoring double.

Persing took the pitching loss for the Auggies, with 1.2 innings of work. Eaton pitched in relief, striking out two while not walking a batter. Kayla Peterson claimed three strikeouts against no walks to score the complete-game pitching win for St. Mary's.
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