BOXSCORE 1 | BOXSCORE 2 PHOTO GALLERY (FLICKR COURTESY GUSTAVUS)

NORTH MANKATO, 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 Caswell Park. No. 11-seed Augsburg dropped an 11-2, six-inning decision to No. 2 seed Bethel University in the first game, then was eliminated in a 8-5 loss to No. 7-seed College of Saint Benedict.

Bri Dorale (SR, Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) went 4-for-5 at the plate Friday for Augsburg, which finished its season 12-28 overall. Dorale scored a run in each game, hitting a leadoff single and later scoring in the first inning to account for the Auggie scoring in the game against Bethel. She went 2-for-2 at the plate against the Blazers and 2-for-3 against the Royals.

Lauren Hurley (FY, Arden Hills, Mounds View HS) went 2-for-3 from the plate in game one, while Allyson Ruedy (SR, Waseca, Minn.) went 3-for-4 with a double and two home runs in game two. Friday marked the second time in her career that Ruedy has recorded a multi-home run game, and the first time since 4/19/11 against Hamline University. Rudey finishes her Augsburg career second all-time in school history with 16 career home runs. 

Against the Royals, Augsburg jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first behind singles from Dorale and Hurley. Bethel responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on the strength of a two-run home run by Rachel Gilbert. The Auggies rallied to tie the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth after a leadoff triple by Bekka Kelly (SO, Columbia Heights, Minn.), but were unable to hold the aggressive Royal bats off as Bethel scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn the 9-2 win.

Amanda Eaton (JR, White Bear Lake, Minn.) took the pitching loss for the Auggies, with three strikeouts and four walks in 5.1 innings pitched. Karli Persson picked up the complete-game pitching win for the Royals, striking out five while not walking a batter. 

Against Saint Benedict, a four-run fourth inning gave the Blazers the lead to stay, keyed by RBI singles by Emma Steck, Stephanie Besst and Lexi Alm.

Augsburg cut into the lead in the sixth inning, as Ruedy connected on her fourth home run of the season, a two-run drive. The Blazers scored two in the bottom of the frame to put the game out of reach. Augsburg scored two runs in the seventh on Ruedy's second bomb of the game, but the Auggies would get no closer as they fell by a score of 8-5.

Olivia Boerschinger (SO, Neenah, Wis.) took the pitching loss for the Auggies, as she struck out two and walked one in a complete game effort. Rachel Nelson claimed seven strikeouts against two walks to score the complete-game pitching win for the Blazers.

Friday's games marked the final collegiate contests for Augsburg seniors, Dorale, Ruedy, Mary Hildestad (SR, White Bear Lake, Minn.) and Kelsey Rorabeck (SR, Hudson, Wis./Somerset HS).