![\"Southern](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Site-SAU.png\")
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Next Game:<\/p>\n
vs. Southern Arkansas <\/p>\n
1\/31\/2026 | 2:15 p.m.<\/p>\n
\n Jan. 31 (Sat) \/ 2:15 p.m.
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\n vs.\u00a0Southern Arkansas
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History <\/a><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n MANSFIELD, Texas \u2013 No. 9 Augustana opened the 2026 season Friday with a split on day one of tournament play at the Fields at Station. The Vikings began the day with a 7-3 win over Lubbock Christian before dropping a hard-fought 10-9 extra-inning decision to Eastern New Mexico in the afternoon game.<\/p>\n Across the two games, Augustana totaled 16 runs on 18 hits while showing resilience in both the circle and at the plate.<\/p>\n Augustana 7, Lubbock Christian 3 After a scoreless first three innings, the Vikings broke through in the top of the fourth. Claire Wynja<\/a> drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a double by Kierra Lubovich<\/a>. Stella Harber<\/a> followed with a two-run double to left field, and Harber later stole home on a caught-stealing play to give Augustana a 3-0 lead.<\/p>\n Lubbock Christian responded in the bottom of the fourth with three runs to tie the game, but Augustana quickly regained momentum in the fifth. Andrea Cain<\/a> singled and Desi Cuevas<\/a> doubled before Wynja launched a three-run home run to deep left field, putting the Vikings back in front, 6-3.<\/p>\n Augustana added an insurance run in the seventh as Lubovich delivered an RBI ground-rule double to score Wynja. Speltz shut the door in the bottom half, working around late traffic to seal the 7-3 victory.<\/p>\n Eastern New Mexico 10, Augustana 9 (8 innings) Augustana extended its advantage in the second inning, plating four runs. With the bases loaded, Desi Cuevas<\/a> and Wynja each drove in runs with groundouts before RBI singles from Lubovich and Norah Christiansen<\/a> pushed the lead to 5-0.<\/p>\n Eastern New Mexico chipped away with runs in the second and third innings, cutting the margin to 5-3. Augustana answered again in the fifth as Smart doubled and stole home, and Ella Cooper<\/a> added an RBI double to give the Vikings a 7-3 cushion.<\/p>\n The Greyhounds rallied in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of defensive miscues to score four unearned runs and tie the game at 7-7.<\/p>\n
\nAugustana started the season with a strong all-around performance behind a complete-game effort from Mateya Speltz. The sophomore struck out 11 while allowing three runs on six hits to earn the opening-day win.<\/p>\n
\nThe Vikings carried their offensive rhythm into the second game, jumping out to an early lead. Cain was hit by a pitch to open the first and later scored on an RBI walk from Sidney Smart<\/a> to make it 1-0.<\/p>\n