MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. –The Northland College Softball team fell in its doubleheader to Augsburg University 3-1 and 4-0 Tuesday evening in Minneapolis, Minn.
 
The Auggies struck first in the first inning after everyone reached safely on a fielder's choice. Elizbeth Peters reached base in the second inning doubling to center field. Miraya McFall pitched a one-two-three inning in the second and third with one strikeout.
 
Elizabeth Montgomery started the third inning with a lead-off walk. Mackenzie Backman advanced the runner with a bunt single. Both runners were in scoring position after a passed ball. McFall scored Montgomery on a single. The Jills had the chance to do more damage but a leaping grab by Jayden Evenson ended the inning.
 
The Auggies retook the lead in the fourth after a leadoff homerun from Lola Pilon. In the sixth AU added an insurance run to win the game 3-1.
 
Northland tallied five hits. Peters and Backman had two knocks with McFall recording the third. McFall pitched five innings with one strikeout, no walks, and three earned runs. Ariana Wilson entered the game in the sixth and pitched a clean inning. Olivia O'Connor was the winning pitcher with nine strikeouts, five hits and no earned runs.
 
The Jills had a prime opportunity to strike first in game two. With runners on first and second with one out in the second inning Janna Bode singled to center field. Hailey Minnema trying to score on the play ended up out at home and Jills left two runners stranded in the third. The Auggies scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning and held the lead for the remainder of the game to win 4-0.
 
Three student-athletes recorded a hit: Bode, Backman, and Peters. Montgomery and Minnema reach base with a walk. Wilson started the game for NC and went five innings with two strikeouts, one walk, and two earned runs. McFall entered in the sixth and only faced three batters, striking one out. The winning pitcher was Morgann Paaske who had eight strikeouts, two walks, and zero earned runs.
 
The Jills start their Florida trip next week where they will play six games in a span of four days.
 
Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.