Augustana softball team advances to World Series

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EDMOND, Okla. – No. 15 Augustana beat No. 1 Central Oklahoma 7-6 on Friday via Samantha Eisenreich’s walkoff single after picking up a 13-5, five-inning win Thursday in a best-of-three Super Regional to advance to the NCAA Division II Women’s College World Series.

It will mark the Vikings’ fifth appearance in the World Series. They won the title in 1991 while also advancing in 1988, 1993 and 2012.

The 2019 NCAA Division II Women’s College World Series is Thursday, May 23-Monday, May 27, at The Regency Athletic Complex on the campus of Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado.

The Vikings have a 56-10 record.

Friday – Game 2

 Augustana 7, Central Oklahoma 6

The Vikings scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh – highlighted by Eisenreich’s walkoff hit – to advance.

Augustana built a 5-0 lead after three innings, before the Bronchos scored one run in the fourth and five in the sixth to move ahead 6-5.

Kendall Cornick drew a base on balls and Maggie Kadrlik was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the seventh. Shannon Petersen’s RBI single knotted the score at 6-all.

Eisenreich stepped to the plate with one out and fell behind 1-2, before driving a single to center field to score pinch-runner Becca Koupal with the winning run.

Cornick and Petersen homered earlier in the game. Mary Pardo went 3-for-4 with a double.

Junior center fielder Kara McDougall, a Brookings native, finished 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Ashley Mickschl (27-5) threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win in the circle. She pitched the first three innings and re-entered with one out in the sixth to record the final five outs. Mickschl gave up five hits with two strikeouts and a pair of walks.

AUGUSTANA 7, CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 6

Central Oklahoma 000 105 0    6    7  2

Augustana             221 000 2    7  11  1

Thursday – Game 1

 Augustana 13, Central Oklahoma 5 (5 inn.)

Kadrlik went 4-for-4 with two home runs and a program-record six RBIs as the Vikings racked up 16 hits in the blowout.

Kadrlik’s three-run shot highlighted the first inning, as Augustana led 6-4. She hit a solo shot and McDougall added an RBI single in the second, as the Vikings were up 8-5 at the end of the inning.

The Vikings pulled away with one run in the third and four in the fourth, with Kadrlik’s two-run single making it 13-5.

Cornick was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs. Mickschl added two hits and two RBIs.

McDougall was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Petersen also contributed a pair of hits, including a double. Eisenreich was 1-for-1 with a two-bagger and three walks.

Mickschl earned the win after surrendering five runs on five hits and five walks with four strikeouts in five innings.

AUGUSTANA 13, CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 5 (5 inn.)

Augustana             621 40    13  16  0

Central Oklahoma 410 00      5    6  0