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Colorado Mesa (26-23) dropped its opening round game at the NCAA Division II Central Regional tournament in Sioux Falls, SD earlier today. The Mavericks fell 4-2 to host Augustana in the double elimination tournament. CMU will play RMAC foe Colorado Christian on Saturday at 12:30 pm. The Cougars fell to Winona State 1-0 in game one.

The Mavericks and Vikings game scheduled to start at 12:30 was moved up 25-minutes due to inclement weather and a threatening forecast.

Augustana took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a Theresa McMahon lead-off homerun to centerfield on a 3-2 count.

CMU's Megan Smith answered back in the top of the second with a homerun to left center to tie the game at 1-1.

The Vikings led off the bottom of the third with back-to-back doubles to take a 2-1 lead. Two batters later Augustana pushed the lead to 3-1 on an RBI single. The Vikings loaded the bases (hit by pitch, single, walk) with two outs before Courtney Maihi struck out Matley Jones to retire the side.

CMU registered their second hit in the top of the fourth on a two-out single by Maihi. Maihi was called out, Runner Left Early, with Smith at the plate, ending the inning.

After five complete innings the game was suspended for 90-minutes due to a severe rain and thunderstorm in the area.

When play resumed the Mavericks opened up the top of the sixth inning with a single by Tawnee Woosley. She advanced to second on a sac bunt by Lita Romero. A groundout by Taylor Gross moved Woosley to third. Jessica Albertson reached on an error by the Viking third baseman and Woosley scored to cut the Mavs deficit 2-3. The Vikings closed out the inning with a groundout.

The Vikings loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with one out on two walks and a hit batter. Ashley Pulido relieved starting pitcher Courtney Maihi and after a foul out for the second out of the inning, the next Viking batter walked for a 4-2 Augustana lead. CMU registered the final on a ground out to the pitcher.

In the Mavs last at-bat in the seventh the Vikings set down CMU with a fly out to leftfield and back-to-back ground outs.

CMU had three hits in the game; homerun by Megan Smith and a single each by Courtney Maihi and Tawnee Woosley. Maihi pitched 5.1 innings allowing four runs on four hits, three walks and three strikeouts. Pulido pitched 2/3 inning and walked one Viking.

CMU will play Colorado Christian on Saturday at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls. The winner will play again on Saturday at 4 pm. The loser of the game will be eliminated.