TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Augsburg College softball team opened play over the weekend at the Tucson Invitational Games, going 1-3 in its games on Saturday and Sunday.

THE BASICS
SATURDAY SCORES: Augsburg 9, Suffolk (Mass.) 0 (5 inn.), Wisconsin-Platteville 8, Augsburg 2
SUNDAY SCORES: Stevens Tech (N.J.) 26, Augsburg 5 (5 inn.), Wisconsin-La Crosse 8, Augsburg 0
LOCATION: Lincoln Park, Tucson, Ariz.
RECORD: Augsburg 5-3 overall

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
• Brianna Cline (JR, St. Clair, Minn.) led the Auggies at the plate over the weekend, hitting .545 (6-for-11) with a double, three runs scored and three RBI. Katie Parker (JR, Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North HS) hit .385 (5-for-15) with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Samantha Anderson (SO, Coon Rapids, Minn.) and Courtney Larsen (JR, Little Canada, Minn./Concordia Academy HS) pitched the bulk of the innings, with Anderson striking out nine against five walks, and Larsen striking out eight against five walks.

SUFFOLK GAME HIGHLIGHTS
• Augsburg scored all nine of its runs in the first three innings, in a game shortened to five innings via the NCAA eight-run rule.
• Cline went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, scoring three runs and driving in one. Parker went 2-for-3 with an RBI, as did Amanda Niznik (SR, Columbia Heights, Minn.).
• Carly Dropik (SO, Alexandria, Minn.) scored two runs and had an RBI.
• Anderson struck out four while walking one and allowing just two hits in the five-inning shutout.

UW-PLATTEVILLE GAME HIGHLIGHTS
• UW-Platteville built an 8-1 lead after three innings, collecting eight hits while also taking advantage of four Augsburg errors. Just four of the eight runs charged to Augsburg pitchers were earned.
• Cline and Haley Larson (JR, Shakopee, Minn./Prior Lake HS) had two hits each, with Larson contributing a double and an RBI.
• Larsen struck out seven while walking two in six innings of work, with Anderson pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

STEVENS TECH HIGHLIGHTS
• Stevens Tech scored in each inning of the five-inning game, pounding out 22 hits, including three doubles, a triple and a home run, against three Augsburg pitchers. 
• All five Augsburg runs came in the fourth inning, including a solo home run by Parker and two-run singles by Lauren Hurley (SR, Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) and Cline.
• Parker had two of Augsburg's five hits in the game.

UW-LA CROSSE GAME HIGHLIGHTS
• UW-La Crosse collected 11 hits, including four doubles and a home run, to pull away from Augsburg. Anderson struck out three while walking one in a complete-game effort for the Auggies.
• Augsburg was limited to three hits -- singles by Dropik, Cline and Parker.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg returns to action on Monday (3/13) with games against MacMurray (Ill.) and Stevens Tech in Tucson.