SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- The Minnesota State softball team won its fourth NSIC Championship Sunday afternoon as it splits its final two games of the regular against the Augustana Vikings.

MSU won the opening game 3-1, before falling to AU 14-3 in five inning in game two. MSU now owns a 40-13 overall record, including a 23-6 NSIC record. Augie finished its regular season schedule with a 34-17 overall record and a 21-8 NSIC record. This is ninth time in program history MSU has won at least 40 games in a season.

The first game of MSU's doubleheader pitted a pair of 20-game winners against each other including MSU's Coley Ries and AU's Carley Pickett. Both offenses combined for four runs on 12 hits, but it was Ries (24-5) who would come away with the win as she gave up just one run on four hits, while striking out 13. Pickett was saddled with the loss as she allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits, while striking out six.

Augustana struck first in game one as Sarah Kennedy smashed a solo home run to right center to give the Vikings an early 1-0 lead.

After leaving a runner stranded in both the second and third innings the, Mavericks finally reached the scoring column in the top of the fourth as they scored three runs to take a 3-1 lead. With one out, the Mavericks got a pair of runners on base as junior Ashley Thell doubled to left center, while sophomore Jess Meidl coaxed a walk. Pickett managed to get the second out, but sophomore Kara Lattery belted a double down the right field line to plate two runs for the Mavericks as she advanced to third on a throwing error. Lattery eventually came around to score on another Augie error to put MSU up 3-1 before the end of the inning.  

Heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Mavericks still held a 3-1 lead, but the Vikings were able to get a pair of base runners with one out on back-to-back singles. Ries was able to strike out the next two batters to end the threat as MSU carried its 3-1 lead into the seventh.

In the seventh, Ries set the Vikings down in order, including a pair of strikeouts to secure the 3-1 win. Both freshman McKenzie Paap and Thell led the Mavericks with two hits each, while Lattery drove in two runs.

MSU finished the doubleheader with a 14-3 loss in five innings in game two.

Karlee Koopman (13-8) earned the win as she gave up three runs on five hits, in her five-inning complete game. Sophomore Libby Bemis (14-8) took the loss as she gave up five runs, two earned, in two innings of work.

Through two innings, the Vikings held a one 1-0 lead. Kennedy drove in Carly Peterson with a ground out to shortstop on the bottom of the first.

The Mavericks managed to take advantage of a pair of Augie errors in the top of the third to go up 3-1. Senior Karli DesLauriers, Paap and junior Dana Mogren all scored on errors committed by the Augie second baseman.

Despite leading 3-1, the Augustana offense erupted for 13 runs during the next two innings. The bottom of the third saw the Vikings tally seven runs, on six hits, to go with one MSU error. The Vikings continued their offensive onslaught in the bottom of the fourth as they scored six more runs, via three hits and two Maverick errors to go up 14-3. Koopman would shut the door in the top of the fifth to end the game.

Paap tallied two of MSU's five hits in the game. Maggie Kadrlick led the Vikings with four hits, while Kennedy drove in a game-high five RBI.  

The Mavericks will return to action on Thursday as they take part in day one of the NSIC Tournament which will be held at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls, S.D. MSU's first game in the NSIC Tournament is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m., but its opponent has yet to be determined.

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