ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Augsburg University softball team stayed in the hunt for a spot in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason playoffs with a doubleheader sweep of Gustavus Adolphus on Friday evening at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul's Reynolds Field.

THE BASICS
SCORES: Augsburg 4, Gustavus 3; Augsburg 11, Gustavus 3 (6 inn.)
LOCATION: Reynolds Field, St. Paul, Minn.
RECORD: Augsburg 19-17 overall (11-9 MIAC), Gustavus 10-24 overall (6-14 MIAC)

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• With the wins, the Auggies inched closer to securing a spot in the MIAC postseason playoffs -- expanded to six teams this season due to the wintry weather that plagued the region this month. At 11-9 in league play, the Auggies currently stand in fifth place in the league standings, with one conference doubleheader remaining.
• The game, played outdoors at Northwestern-St. Paul's Reynolds Field, was the final "home" contest for two Auggie seniors -- Taylor Mattice (SR, Woodbury, Minn./Centennial HS) and Katie Parker (SR, Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North HS).

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS
• The Auggies claimed a 4-3, walk-off victory in the first game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to overcome a 3-2 deficit. Nell Gehrke (SO, Northfield, Minn./Northfield HS) led off with a single and moved to second on an error. Anesia King (SO, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) then singled, and after a walk, a two-run single by Morgan Malley (JR, Harmony, Minn./Fillmore Central HS) ended the game.
• After surrendering a run in the top of the first, the Auggies took the lead in the bottom of the frame, as Carly Dropik (JR, Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria HS) and Malley singled, and both came home on a two-run single by Parker.
• Samantha Anderson (JR, Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS) gained the pitching victory, striking out four while walking one and allowing eight hits in a complete-game effort.
• King and Malley had two hits each for the Auggies.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS
• Tied 1-1 after three innings, the Auggies scored 10 runs in the final three innings to end the game early due to the NCAA eight-run rule. The onslaught started in the fourth inning, when Parker led off the inning with a smash to deep center for her second home run of the season.
• In the fifth, the Auggies scored six runs, sending 10 batters to the plate. Parker and Jacquline Nichols (JR, Royalton, Minn./Royalton HS) each hit two-run doubles, and Anderson and Shannon Dale (SO, Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer HS) each hit run-scoring singles in the frame.
• Augsburg ended the game in the sixth inning. King led off with a double, and after walks to Dropik and Malley, Anderson drove King home on an infield groundout. Parker then hit a two-run single to center to plate Malley and Dropik.
• Anderson pitched her second complete-game win of the day, striking out one while walking three and allowing seven hits.
• Parker went 3-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored in the second game, part of a 4-for-7, seven-RBI doubleheader. King and Anderson had two hits each.

FOR THE FOES
• Aly Freeman, Marissa Marsolek and Kim Kurtzweg had three hits each in the doubleheader, with Kurtzweg hitting two doubles.
• Caitlin Kammerer hit a two-run homer for Gustavus in the second game.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg has its final MIAC doubleheader of the regular season on Sunday (4/29) at 1 p.m., playing at Concordia-Moorhead.
• Carleton also has its final MIAC doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m., playing at Carleton.