SID: Karen Madsen (605) 274-4335
Fax: (605) 274-5298
E-mail: madsen@cars.augie.edu
Web Site: www.augie.edu/athletics

April 18, 2002

AUGUSTANA SOFTBALL

AUGUSTANA (38-13) completes a two-day, four-game series with the University of South Dakota (18-29) in a doubleheader today, April 18, beginning at 4:00 p.m. in Vermillion, S.D.

AUGUSTANA stretched its win string to eight by sweeping a doubleheader from the University of South Dakota Wednesday, April 17, at Bowden Field.

The Vikings won the opener 8-0 in five innings. Senior shortstop Tessa Foth was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. She drove in two runs and scored twice. Megan Faris was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Tammy Nielsen 2-for-3 with a double, and Jen Jarding 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Robyn Beske also doubled and drove in a run. Amy Klyse (22-7) worked all five innings. She yielded one hit, did not walk a batter, and struck out seven.

Bethany Almquist scored an unearned run in the last of the ninth inning to give Augie a 4-3 win in the night cap. A passed ball and an error led to the winning run after Nielsen led off the inning with a single. Almquist was a pinch runner. USD had four errors and Augie three. Kristin Nagle doubled and drove in a run for the Vikings. Klyse pitched the final six innings and posted her second win of the day. She gave up two hits and struck out five. Jodi Callan's home run in the seventh inning pulled USD into a 3-3 tie.

South Dakota    000 00 - 0 1  2
Augustana       101 42 - 8 12 2
J. Alswager, Tiffany Hill (4) and Kari Bolte; Amy Klyse and Jen Jarding.

South Dakota    001 100 100 - 3 7 4
Augustana       300 000 001 - 4 4 3
Tiffany Hill, Angela Palma (2) and Bolte; Tammy Nielsen, Amy Klyse (4)
and Kristin Nagle, Jen Jarding.

NORTH CENTRAL REGION POLL

1. Nebraska-Omaha
2. North Dakota State
3. Washburn
4. AUGUSTANA
5. Saint Cloud State
6. Minnesota-Duluth
7. Truman
8. Missouri Southern State
9. Winona State
10. Central Missouri State

TAMMY NIELSEN has been selected North Central Conference pitcher of the week for the second time this season. The freshman right-hander from Fremont, Neb., posted a 5-0 record, yielded four earned runs, and struck out 45 batters in 39 2/3 innings.

TESSA FOTH, the only senior on the Augie roster, leads the team in hitting (.341), runs (36), doubles (15), triples (4), home runs (6), and RBIs (30).

COMPLETE statistics for the Vikings' 2002 season can be found at www.augie.edu/athletics/

VIKING ROSTER

HEAD COACH Sandy Jerstad (St. Olaf '66) begins her 26th season at the Vikings' helm. She has compiled a career record of 918-320-2. Her teams have won eight North Central Conference titles, competed in 11 NCAA Division II region tournaments, and won the national title in 1991. Her teams have won 30 or more games each of the last 17 seasons. In 1998 she was named College Women's Coach of the Year by the South Dakota Sportswriters' Association.

With her 918 wins, Jerstad is in second place on the NCAA's all-divisions career softball coaching chart.

AUGUSTANA'S assistant coaches are Jeff Glackler and Jessica Mathys.

JERSTAD FILE

QUICK FACTS
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Founded: 1860
Enrollment: 1800
Nickname: Vikings
School Colors: Navy and Yellow
Home Field: Bowden Field
Capacity: 500
Affiliation: NCAA Division II
Conference: North Central Conference
President: Dr. Bruce R. Halverson '66
Athletic Director: Bill Gross '73
Athletic Rep: Mel Klein