MINNEAPOLIS -- The Augsburg University softball team opened its season with a strong offensive effort, topping Northland College in a pair of shortened games on the opening day of the Augsburg Dome Tournament at Edor Nelson Field.

THE BASICS
SCORES: Augsburg 14, Northland 1; Augsburg 15, Northland 2
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field
RECORD: Augsburg 2-0 overall, Northland 0-6 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Augsburg pitcher Samantha Anderson (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS) got the Auggies off to a strong start in game one, picking up seven strikeouts in the first three innings, while only giving up one hit.
• While the Auggies were making quick work on the defensive side of the field, the offense belted out four home runs, by four different players, to go along with four hits and four walks. Anesia King (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) led off the game with a solo home run, while teammates Shannon Dale (JR, Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer HS), Camryn Keymes (SO, Zimmerman, Minn./Zimmerman HS) and Nell Gehrke (JR, Northfield, Minn./Northfield HS) all picked up homers in the second inning. Keymes home run was the first of her collegiate career. Dale was 3-for-3 in the first game, with four RBI.
• Also picking up hits in the first game were Anderson, Kate Stehr (JR, Goodhue, Minn./Goodhue HS), who doubled in the second, and Jacquline Nichols (SR, Royalton, Minn./Royalton HS), who doubled in the third. Five different Auggies picked up walks in the game.
• In the second game, the Augsburg offense again got out to a quick start, putting seven runs on the board in the first inning. Anderson and Hollywood Hermanson (JR, Dover, Minn./Dover-Eyota HS) both homered in the second inning. The longball was the first Augsburg career home run for Hermanson, while Anderson was 4-for-4 with five RBI and three runs scored.
• Making her Augsburg pitching debut, Elly Strunk (SO, Blooming Prarie, Minn./Blooming Prarie HS) started the second game for Augsburg and pitched three innings, giving up just one run while picking up her first collegiate win on the mound. Bella Kallas (SO, Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake HS) pitched in relief for the Auggies, throwing the final two innings of each game.

FOR THE FOES
• In the first game, Natalie Erler, was 1-for-3 and scored the lone run of the game for the Lumberjills.
• In the second game, Northland was led by Alivia Heller, who finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg returns to action tomorrow (3/9) to conclude the annual Augsburg Dome Tournament. Due to weather, the schedule for Saturday is as follows:
Northland vs Crown - 8 a.m.
Northland vs Augsburg - 10 a.m.
Augsburg vs Crown - 12 p.m.