MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Hamline softball team (4-10, 1-7 MIAC) picked up their first MIAC win on Saturday, splitting with Augsburg (4-17, 1-8 MIAC). The Pipers had more hits in game one, but were hindered by errors, as the Auggies came away with an 8-6 win. In game two, HU tallied 11 hits and would get the 9-6 decision.
 
GAME 1: AUGSBURG 6, HAMLINE 3
In the first game, Augsburg used a big first inning, scoring four runs to propel themselves to the opening win. Hamline would hold an 8-6 advantage in hits, being led by two-hit games from senior Megan Rubbelke and junior Amber Peterson.
 
Junior Theresa Klinnert pitched all six innings for the Pipers, giving up six runs (four earned) on six hits. The North Dakota native walked three and struck out three in the outing, moving to 2-5 on the year.
 
Four hits and a Piper error in the bottom of the first inning helped the Auggies take a quick 4-0 lead. The Pipers would chip away at that lead, getting a run across in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, but two more runs for Augsburg in the fifth would stop the comeback.
 
Singles from senior Cora Stallcup and sophomore Gabby Cook in the third inning allowed a single from Rubbelke to get Stallcup across, making it 4-1. Peterson singled in the fourth and would later be driven in by sophomore Nayeli Pallais-Yllescas to cut the Auggie lead to just two.
 
In the fifth, Peterson would drive in Rubbelke (who doubled earlier in the inning), getting HU within one at 4-3. But that was as close as Hamline would get, as they were retired 1-2-3 in the next two innings.
 
Augsburg scored two runs in the fifth, using a walk, an HU error, and a hit to make the final 6-3.
 
GAME 2: HAMLINE 9, AUGSBURG 6
The Pipers rallied in game two, scoring multiple runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to claim the 9-6 win.
 
Peterson proved unstoppable at the plate in the game, going 4-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Senior Alex Molloy also had multiple hits, going 2-3 with a walk, two RBIs, and a pair of runs and Klinnert chipped in with two RBIs as well.
 
The Pipers had runners on in each of the first two innings, but neither team was able to score until the fourth. Rubbelke started the inning with a leadoff double to right center which was followed up by a Klinnert walk. Molloy drove in Rubbelke with a double of her own and then a single from senior April Jacobs scored Klinnert. Then it was Stallcup's turn to single, scoring Molloy and Peterson (who recorded a bunt single earlier in the inning) to make it 4-0.
 
Hamline would tack on two more in the fifth, as Rubbelke walked and Molloy and Peterson doubled in the inning. This extended the HU lead to 6-0.
 
Augsburg retaliated in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs of their own to get themselves right back in it at 6-4.
 
Hamline answered with three more runs in the sixth, to give themselves a little more breathing room. Pallais-Yllescas singled in the inning and was driven in by Klinnert. Peterson drove in the other run, on a single to right field. This made it 8-4.
 
Three hits and a Piper error led to two more runs for Augsburg, but the Piper defense closed it out with a ground-ball double play and a strikeout to secure the game two win.
 
Molloy earned the win on the mound, pitching all seven innings. She gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits and one walk while striking out four.
 
The Pipers play again tomorrow, April 18, hosting #16 Saint Benedict to Meredith Field for games at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.