There is a certain buzz around the Augustana softball diamond as the Vikings have their eyes set on a successful season. The Augustana softball team played their very first games this past Saturday and Sunday in Rochester, MN, winning both games on the long-distance road trip.

Last year, the Vikings had an overall 18-20 record and a 7-9 CCIW record and finished seventh in the conference overall. Carly Wilson earned a spot on the All-CCIW first team while Taylor Belo and Alyssa Klahn and Haley Ruch were named to the second team. Augie lost seven senior players from last year while adding three new first-year’s bringing new skill and experiences to the team.

The Vikings started the weekend in Minnesota and came out with two wins in four games against Wisconsin Eau Claire 8-7 and Gustavus Adolphus 9-1.

During the split over in Minnesota, the  Vikings had a couple girls out to a fast start. Sophomore Nicole Nash went six for ten to open up the season and leads the team in average, while Sydney Ortmann leads the team with four runs batted in on the weekend.

The Vikings are looking to play hard this season and make sure that they achieve their goals. Senior Brittany Pospishill is ready for the season to start and to see what the Vikings are capable of.

“I am looking forward to watching our team grow,” Pospishill said. “We’ve already grown so much these last few months, and I think this is going to be a good season for this.”

The team definitely has a couple of things to work on this season if they want to improve their game. But they still have the capacity to give a strong run this season.

“Our defense and baserunning are definite strengths,” head coach Kris Kistler said.  “Our weakness is probably depth at certain positions.”

There has been a focus this offseason on the team coming together as friends and as a family, according to Pospishill, but for her she has seen her leadership skills improve from her teammates.

“This team has taught me how to be a leader over my few years here,” Pospishill said. “My teammates push me both on and off the field to be better every single day, and I’m forever grateful.”

The team is excited for the conference games and want to see if they can make both the CCIW tournament and the NCAA tournament this year.

“Our conference is one of the best in the nation and we are working to make the conference tournament (top five teams),” Kistler said.

The tournaments aren’t only important for the team but they are good to look back on when it comes to the end of the season. The hope is that the team has come along way from games in March.

Especially with their loss of five starters from last year, coming together as a team will mean everything for Augustana softball.

“I am looking forward to watching our team grow,” Pospishil said. “We’ve already grown so much these last few months, and I think this is going to be a good season for this. Our Florida spring break trip is coming up quick, and we’re so excited to be back on the dirt.”

Their first home game is on March 18, at the Carver field against Monmouth College.