2004 SOFTBALL AUGUSTANA AND ILLINOIS WESLEYAN SHARE CONFERENCE TITLE; VIKINGS EARN NCAA BID BY VIRTUE OF WINNING CCIW TOURNAMENT

ROCK ISLAND, Illinois - After finishing the regular season in a deadlock with Illinois Wesleyan for the 2004 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin softball championship, Augustana won the league tournament with an impressive three game sweep. The Vikings and the Titans both went 11-3 in the CCIW regular season and the two teams split their doubleheader. Augustana was awarded the number one seed and host spot in the tournament by virtue of run differential as the Vikings lost 4-0 and won 7-1 when the two teams played on April 7.

In the tournament Augustana was impressive with three straight victories. The Vikings started things off by winning 1-0 over Millikin in the first round while Illinois Wesleyan defeated North Central 2-1. After rain allowed only two games to be played on the first day, which was Friday, April 30, North Central eliminated Millikin 1-0 on Saturday, May 1. Augustana recovered from a 3-0 first inning deficit to defeat Illinois Wesleyan 9-3 in a winner's bracket game. North Central then eliminated the defending champion Titans by a score of 7-5 to set up a championship game between the Cardinals and the Vikings. Augustana jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and went on to post a 7-1 victory and claim the first CCIW softball title in school history.

Brynn Hasse of Illinois Wesleyan was selected as the CCIW's Most Valuable Player and teammate Kelly Murray was the Pitcher of the Year. Augustana's Kris Kistler was selected as the "Coach of the Year". There was one conference record set during the season and it was by Shannon Gysberg of Carthage who broke her own league mark for strikeouts with 76. Her old record, set just one year ago, had been 75.

2004 COLLEGE CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS & WISCONSIN SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT April 30 & May 1, 2004 *** Carver Field *** Augustana College *** Rock Island, Illinois