Box Score
The Augustana baseball team lost by one run to Drury University Saturday in Springfield, Mo. Augie was able to tie the game in the top of the eighth, but allowed the Panthers to score in their half of the inning, and lost the game 5-4.
The loss drops the Vikings to 4-5 on the season while the Panthers improve to 3-3.
Both teams were out 1-2-3 in the first inning, and Augie also was unable to reach in the second inning. They received a scare in the bottom of the second when Drury put two runners on thanks to a walk and a hit by pitch. But freshman pitcher
Derek Hansen recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
The Vikings went scoreless again in the fourth. Drury's Harrison Waters led the bottom of the fourth off with a double, but Hansen was able to escape the inning again without any Drury runs.
Augie got their offense going in the fifth inning.
Charlie Dubanoski was hit by a pitch, then scored on a double by
Dan Morrison. A single by Hansen scored Morrison, but Hansen was picked off for out one.
Gates Cook singled to center field, but Kyle Dyer struck out the next two Augie batters to end the inning.
The Panthers made the score 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, when R.J. Knese singled to center field, stole second, and eventually scored on a single by Tyler Gross.
The first two batters for Drury in the sixth flied and grounded out, but a walk by Maury Wilmes was the start of trouble for the Vikings. Kindall Fidley singled and a walk by Knese loaded the bases with Panthers.
Junior
Kenny Lidke came in to pitch for the Vikings, and Dane Hughes blasted a triple, scoring three runs for the Panthers. Tyler Gross grounded out to second to end the inning.
Dubanoski doubled to lead off the seventh inning, but Augie was unable to capitalize, leaving him stranded. The Panthers were also unable to score in the seventh, but kept their 4-2 lead.
Augie tied it up in the top of the eighth, when
Brian Knight and
Nate Hewes were both walked. The runners advanced on a wild pitch. A
Deryk Marks walk loaded the bases for the Vikings, and Dubanoski scored Knight and Hewes on a single to left field.
The Panthers answered in the bottom of the inning when Knese led off with a triple and then scored on a wild pitch. The inning ended with DU up 5-4.
Hansen struck out in the top of the ninth, but Cook was hit by a pitch and
Chris Glynn came in to pinch run. Unfortunately, a pop up by Knight and a strikeout by Hewes ended the game.
Dubanoski was the bright spot in the Viking offense, going 2 for 3 with two RBI and scoring once.
Lidke suffered the loss for the Vikings, allowing one earned run on three hits in 2.1 innings pitched.
The Vikings will be in action again later today as they play Wayne State (Michigan) at 5 p.m.
