Softball starts strong, pushes for redemption

The Augustana softball team opened its regular season on Jan. 31 with six games played in three days during the Mardi Gras Invitational in Youngsville, Louisiana, followed by a doubleheader against Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Arkansas, on Feb. 4. 

The Vikings dropped the first three games, including a 2-1 loss to No. 12 Mississippi College, before rebounding with five straight wins to close out the opening stretch of the season.

“Historically, AU softball doesn’t perform their best on the first trip, but we were merely a couple hits away from going 7-1,” senior pitcher Lexi Lander said. 

Early season challenges are nothing new for coach Gretta Melsted, who believes in testing her team against top competition.

“I’ve always wanted them to play top-25 or NCAA-tournament teams so that they know where they have to be at the end of the year,” Melsted said.

The Vikings entered the season as the four-time reigning NSIC regular season champions as well as NCAA regional champions, but last year’s early exit from the tournament still hasn’t left their minds.

“They’re disappointed in our showing at nationals last year,” Melsted said. “I feel like they have something to prove to the country and probably themselves because they’re a little salty about that.”

The Vikings were picked for the sixth season in a row as the team favored to win it all by the NSIC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. Fifth-year senior pitcher Grace Glanzer, the reigning NSIC Pitcher of the Year, was voted as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year alongside her teammate, junior Andrea Cain, as the Augustana preseason player to watch. 

“We need to dial in on the little things and focus on those so that everything in the big picture is able to run smoothly,” senior pitcher Hailey Houston said. “The main goal is to win the [national championship]; however, to get there, we need to focus on each game in front of us and win that one before we can start jumping ahead.”

The Vikings feature a strong pitching staff led by All-American Glanzer and All-Conference Lander. They also have some new faces in key roles, according to Melsted.

“Another big key is Haley Grimmius. We’re turning her into a closer, and she did a really good job on the opening weekend,” Melsted said of the team’s junior pitcher.

At the plate, the Vikings are led by infielder Cain, sophomore outfielder Desi Cuevas and junior catcher Ashton Dorman.

“Last year we graduated some just flat-out studs [...],” Melsted said. “But the next crop is going to rise to the top.”

With a 24-day break as downtime to refine their approach, the Vikings will be competing in the Top Gun College Invitational in Shawnee, Kansas, from Feb. 28 to March 2. The first home game will take place against Missouri Western on March 18 with a double-header starting at noon.