MINNEAPOLIS – Surrendering just two hits while pounding out 20 in the doubleheader, the Augsburg University softball team scored a pair of five-inning, run-rule victories over North Central University on Thursday afternoon, winning 8-0 and 11-0.

THE BASICS
SCORES: Augsburg 8, North Central (Minn.) 0 (5 inn.); Augsburg 11, North Central (Minn.) 0 (5 inn.)
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORD: Augsburg 14-4 overall, North Central 2-6 overall

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS
• Brynn Hostettler (SO, Northfield, Minn./Northfield HS) improved to 5-0 overall in the pitcher's circle, striking out nine against two walks and one hit in four innings of work. Saryn Sherrell (SR, Minneapoli, Minn./South HS) pitched a scoreless fifth inning, striking out the side.
• Augsburg scored in each inning, with a five-run third inning busting the game open. The Auggies sent 11 batters to the plate, with four of the first six batters reaching base on doubles -- Torrie Rehder (SO, Goodhue, Minn./Goodhue HS), Olivia Hennager (FY, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley HS), Zoie Johnson (SO, Carlton, Minn./Esko HS) and Hostettler.
• Hennager singled, stole second and came around to score on a fielding error in the first inning, and Hostettler doubled and scored on a double-steal attempt in the second. Jaime Olson (FY, Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) hit an RBI single in the fourth to cap the Auggie scoring.
• Hennager, Hostettler and Olson had two hits each in the first game, with Hennager and Hostettler scoring two runs each.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS
• Olivia O'Connor (JR, White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) struck out eight against one walk and no hits in three innings to improve to 6-1 on the season, with Libby Moore (SO, Springville, Iowa/Springville HS) striking out three against one hit in two innings of relief.
• Augsburg sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning, collecting five runs and taking advantage of five North Central errors to score eight runs. Olson hit a two-run single, two runs came across when Morgan Benson (SO, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) reached base on an error, Grace Syson (JR, Oshkosh, Wis./Lourdes Academy HS) hit a run-scoring triple and scored when Kayla Hanson (SR, St. James, Minn./St. James HS) reached base on an error, and Jayden Evenson (FY, Mosinee, Wis./Mosinee HS) hit a two-run single.
• Hennager hit a two-run double to plate Evenson and Katie Manecke (JR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) in the third inning, and Avery Bowers (FY, Elko, Nev./Elko HS) hit a run-scoring single in the fourth.
• Evenson went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Manecke went 2-for-3 with three runs scored.

FOR THE FOES
• Clara Mendoza pitched all eight innings for North Central in the doubleheader, with three strikeouts.
• Delaney Riddle had a single in the first game, and Aurora Prettyman had a double in the second game for the Rams.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg opens Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Sunday (4/2) at 1 p.m., hosting St. Catherine in a doubleheader at the Edor Nelson Field dome.