College Softball -- Concordia-Moorhead at Augsburg, 4/4/00

College Softball -- Concordia-Moorhead at Augsburg, 4/4/00
Game 1 -- Augsburg 4, Concordia-Moorhead 2 -- Click here for boxscore
Game 2 -- Augsburg 5, Concordia-Moorhead 3 -- Click here for boxscore

MINNEAPOLIS (4/4/00) -- Rachael Ekholm (So., Richfield, Minn.) had three hits and drove in two runs, leading Augsburg College to a doubleheader sweep of Concordia-Moorhead, 4-2 and 5-3, in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball opener for both teams Wednesday at the University of Minnesota's Bierman Softball Complex.

In addition to her 3-for-5 performance at the plate, Ekholm had a triple and scored three runs. She also pitched the Auggies to the second-game victory, striking out seven while walking just one and allowing six hits.

Augsburg improves to 5-11 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC. Concordia drops to 7-12 overall and 0-2 in the MIAC. Augsburg is playing the remainder of its home schedule at the University of Minnesota's softball stadium because of major athletic facility remodeling work at Augsburg this spring.

Kristi Smith (Sr., Dassel, Minn./Dassel-Cokato HS) pitched the Auggies to the first-game victory, allowing just one earned run and four hits.

Down 1-0 in the fourth inning of the first game, the Auggies rallied back with two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. Jennie Lemke (Fr., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) drove in a run on a single in the fourth inning, and Ekholm's triple -- the first of the season for Augsburg -- brought in a run in the fifth.

Erin Gunderson (So., Princeton, Minn.) and Rebecca Feir (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.) scored Concordia's runs in the first game. Gunderson was charged with the pitching loss for the Cobbers, despite striking out eight Auggies.

In the second game, the Auggies jumped out to a 4-0 lead with two runs in each of the first two innings. Ekholm drove in a run on a single and two-base error, with Jennie LaManna (So., South St. Paul, Minn.) driving in the other first-inning run. Ekholm scored twice in the second game. Jessica Norman (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.) and Brenda Selander (Jr., Oakdale, Minn./Tartan HS) scored in the second inning for the Auggies. Lemke drove in Ekholm with an insurance run in the fifth inning.

The Cobbers had a comeback in the latter stages of the game, behind doubles by Cindy Frey (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Central HS) and Jill Flatau (Fr., Perham, Minn.) in the fifth inning. Jill Pontius (So., Eagle Bend, Minn./Eagle Valley HS) drove in a run on a single in the sixth, and Frey brought in a run on a sacrifice fly later in the frame.

Christine Moen (Jr., Glenwood, Minn./Minnewaska Area HS) took the pitching loss for Augsburg, allowing four runs in the first inning and two batters in the second. Gunderson pitched the rest of the game for Concordia, striking out four.

Augsburg travels to St. Benedict on Saturday (4/8) for a 1 p.m. MIAC doubleheader. Concordia plays at St. Olaf in an MIAC doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.