MINNEAPOLIS -- Behind stellar pitching performances by Morgan Malley (JR, Harmony, Minn./Fillmore Central HS) and Samantha Anderson (JR, Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS), the Augsburg University softball team opened its season with a doubleheader sweep of the University of Minnesota-Morris at the Auggie Dome Tournament on Friday evening.

THE BASICS
SCORES: Augsburg 3, Minnesota-Morris 1; Augsburg 12, Minnesota-Morris 0 (5 inn.)
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 2-0 overall, Minnesota-Morris 0-2

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS
• Making her first collegiate start in the pitching circle, Malley struck out five while walking two and allowing just five hits in a complete-game victory. A 2017 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selection as a setter for the Augsburg volleyball team, Malley joined the Auggie softball team this season. She was an All-State first-team (Class A) pitcher in 2015, her senior season at Fillmore Central.
• Augsburg scored single runs in the first, second and seventh innings. A single by Malley plated Anesia King (SO, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) in the first, a sacrifice fly by Hollywood Hermanson (SO, Dover, Minn./Dover-Eyota HS) drove in Taylor Mattice (SR, Woodbury, Minn./Centennial HS) in the second, and King scored a run following a fielding error in the seventh.
• Shannon Dale (SO, Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer HS) went 3-for-3 at the plate for the Auggies, while Anderson and Mattice had two hits each. King and Anderson each hit doubles.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS
• Anderson claimed her ninth collegiate shutout in the pitching circle in the second game, striking out eight while walking three and allowing just one hit, facing just 18 batters in the game, ended in the fifth inning due to the NCAA eight-run rule. The lone hit for the Cougars was a double in the fourth inning.
• Augsburg scored its 12 runs in the first three innings, pounding out 10 hits while taking advantage of six walks and two Minnesota-Morris errors. Malley hit an RBI double in the first inning, and Anderson hit a two-run double and later came home on a double-steal in the third.
• In the third, Augsburg sent 12 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on five hits, with a two-run single by Malley the key hit of the frame.
• Dale, Anderson and Malley had two hits each, with Anderson and Malley driving in three runs each. King scored three runs, as did Anderson. Carly Dropik (JR, Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria HS) scored twice.

FOR THE FOES
• Kallie Wycoff and Autumn Mahoney had two hits each for Minnesota-Morris in the first game, with Mahoney driving in the Cougars' lone run. Mahoney had the lone hit of the second game, a double.
• Madison Langrehr pitched a complete-game effort in the first game, striking out one while walking two.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg faces Crown in a doubleheader on Saturday (3/3) at 12:30 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field.
• Minnesota-Morris plays a doubleheader against Loras (Iowa) on Saturday at 8:30 a.m., also at Edor Nelson Field.