Augustana University Athletics

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Augustana rallied for 7 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Nebraska-Omaha 9-8 and gain a non-conference doubleheader split with the Mavericks Friday in Omaha, Neb. UNO won the first game 14-1.

Ryan Kessinger delivered the big blow, blasting a walk-off, 1-out, 3-run home run to cap a 7-run inning.

The Vikings (5-11) entered the seventh trailing 8-2 but began the inning with 4 consecutive hits, the last being a 2-run triple by Jake Pole that made the score 8-5. Jeff Green was then hit by a pitch and Mason Vig drew a walk to load the bases. JaColby Anderson followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Pole to cut the deficit to 8-6. That brought Kessinger to the plate and he ended the game with his second homer of the game.

UNO (12-9) seized the early momentum by plating 4 runs in the top of the first inning. The Vikings cut the lead in half in the middle innings as Kessinger belted a solo homer in the fourth inning and Green had an RBI double that scored Nate Baumann in the fifth inning.

The Mavericks appeared to have weathered the Vikings’ comeback by adding 2 runs in the sixth and seventh innings to push their lead to 8-2, setting the stage for Augie’s rally.

Bret Severtson, who transferred to Augustana from UNO at the semester break, earned the win by pitching 3 innings in relief of starter Per Nestingen. Severtson allowed 4 runs on 3 hits. He walked 4 and struck out 1.

In the opener, Augustana was limited to just 4 hits by UNO’s Chris Kessinger. The Mavericks took control of the game early, scoring 5 runs in the first inning and 3 more in the second inning.

Augustana’s only run came in the sixth inning when Anderson lifted a sacrifice fly to score Ryan Kessinger, who led off the inning with a single.

Tyler Pierson suffered the loss as he allowed 11 runs, 9 of which were earned, on 12 hits in 3 1/3 innings of work.

The teams will square off in another doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch for the opener is set for 1 p.m. The games were originally scheduled to be played in Sioux City, Iowa, but were moved to Omaha following a spring snow storm in southeastern South Dakota on Thursday.