MARYVILLE, Mo. - The No. 7-ranked Augustana Vikings scored a doubleheader sweep over the Northwest Missouri State University softball team Sunday in the home opener for the Bearcats.

Augustana improved to 12-4 on the season by scoring wins of 5-1 and 4-3. Northwest is 10-11 on the year.

GAME ONE
Augustana used a pair of first-inning runs and then two more in the seventh to power the Vikings to a 5-1 win in Sunday's opener.

Following a groundout to start the game, Augustana used a walk, RBI-double and RBI-single to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Vikings added their third run of the game when Omara Love dropped a fly ball in the third to allow an unearned run to cross the plate.

Malia Cuevas gained Northwest's first hit of the game with a leadoff single to right in the third inning. After back-to-back fielder's choices in the infield, Lillie Filger connected on a bloop hit near third base to give Northwest two base runners. A wild pitch put Curstin Todd and Filger in scoring position, but Alexis Brown fouled out to third to end the threat in the third. 

Freshman pitcher Rien Moore evaded a scoring threat in the sixth as she walked the bases loaded but came away unscathed as the Vikings could not score and it remained 3-0 in favor of the visitors.

The Bearcat offense generated a run in the sixth when Gaige Pinkerton delivered a run-scoring single to left field to plate Love and slice the Augie lead to 3-1.

However in the top of the seventh, Augie's Lexi Lander connected for only the third extra base-hit this season off Moore for a two-run home run to right field to give the Vikings a 5-1 lead. It was the first home run surrendered this season by Moore.

Bearcat starting pitcher Cassidy Paulson took the loss to drop to 2-3 on the year. Paulson worked three innings and gave up three runs on four hits. She struck out three. Kylee Rockhold pitched two scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth to keep the Bearcats in the contest. Moore pitched the final two innings and gave up two runs on one hit and she walked five.

Filger was the lone Bearcat to register two hits in the contest as she went 2-for-3. Northwest mustered only five hits against Augie starting pitcher Grace Glanzer. Glanzer struck out two in going the distance in the circle.

GAME TWO
The Bearcats did what they've done best all season and scored early on the opposition. Northwest put up two first-inning runs to take a 2-0 lead. Northwest has outscored the opposition in the first inning of games, 32-9.

However, Augie used a grand slam in the fifth inning to propel the visitors to a 4-3 win and a sweep of the doubleheader.

Skylar Pieper came through with an RBI-groundout in the first to score Lillie Filger and give Northwest a 1-0 lead. Alexis Brown scampered home on a wild pitch as Gaige Pinkerton drew a walk to give Northwest a 2-0 lead in the first.

Head coach Naomi Tellez worked through four pitchers in the game as the first two options in Olivia Moyer and Erika Gore provided a pair of scoreless frames. Moyer drew the start in the circle and allowed one hit with two strikeouts. Gore worked the third and fourth innings and allowed only one hit. Gore retired six of the seven batters she faced.

Jadyn Streigle got touched up for four runs in the fifth when Augie's Desi Cuevas unloaded a grand slam to left field to give the Vikings a 4-2 lead.

The Bearcats had a chance to tie or take the lead in the sixth with a bases loaded opportunity. Tellez turned to pinch hitter Kaylee Cords with the bases juiced and one out in the sixth. Cords looked to launch a homer down the left field line, but it went foul just before crossing over the foul pole. Cords eventually reached on a fielder's choice RBI as Grace Lubben scored to cut the Augie lead to 4-3. Omara Love struck out looking to end the threat and Augie held a 4-3 advantage through six innings. 

Northwest went down in order in the seventh after forcing Augustana to strand two base runners in the top half of the seventh.

Filger added another two-hit game with a 2-for-3 performance. Northwest's offense generated six hits in the second game. Northwest recorded four stolen bases with Filger, Alexis Brown, Love and Annie Gahan each swiping a base.

The Bearcats will open up MIAA play this upcoming week at home against Rogers State and Northeastern State.

NOTES: Northwest has outscored its opponents in the first two innings of games, 47-11 ... Northwest owns a 32-9 scoring advantage in the first and a 15-2 lead in the second ... Northwest has struggled to score runs in the fourth inning this year with only three runs through the first 21 games ... Northwest is 6-1 when scoring six runs or more, but 4-10 when scoring five runs or less ... Northwest is 10-3 when it out-hits the opponent ... the Bearcats are 0-8 when they are tied or have fewer hits than the opponent ... Filger has 10 multi-hit games this season ... Filger has reached base in 14 straight games ... Filger is riding a 12-game hitting streak ... Gaige Pinkerton extended her hitting streak to six in a row ... Pinkerton has reached base in eight consecutive games ... Pinkerton is batting a team-best .405 with 17 hits in 42 at-bats ... Filger is batting .403 with 31 hits ... Omara Love tops the team with nine stolen bases ... Northwest has hit four home runs this season and has allowed 11 by its opponents ... Rien Moore leads the squad with 27 strikeouts, but has also walked 26 batters ... Moore possesses a 1.06 ERA with a 5-0 record.