Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
The Augustana baseball team kicked off its spring trip by splitting a doubleheader against fifth-ranked Grand Valley State Saturday in Lakeland, Fla. Augustana won the opening game 11-2, while the Lakers claimed the nightcap 13-4.
In the opener, the Vikings (6-8) pounded out 10 hits and stole 8 bases to support the strong starting pitching of
Per Nestingen.
Nestingen pitched five solid innings and allowed just the 2 runs on only four hits. He struck out four and walked four as he improved to 2-1.
Nestingen worked out of a jam in the bottom of the first inning. After surrendering a leadoff home run to Cody Grice, Nestingen loaded the bases. However, he avoided further damage by striking out Bobby Martin to end the inning.
That seemed to spark the Viking offense as Augustana erupted for four runs in the second and three more in the third inning to take a 7-1 lead.
In the second,
Derek Hansen ignited the rally by blasting a 2-run homer over the left field fence. The Vikings took advantage of 4 GVSU walks and four stolen bases, three by
Gates Cook, to manufacture two more runs. In the third, Zach Cimburek and
Nate Baumann had RBI singles, while
Nate Hewes had an RBI double.
After Grand Valley State scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 7-2, the Vikings put the game out of reach with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Cook delivered an RBI double, while
Nate Baumann added a run-scoring single.
Baumann and Hansen each had 2 hits and 2 RBI, while Hewes had 2 hits and scored 3 runs. Hansen also scored 3 times. Cook added 2 runs and 4 stolen bases, while Cimburek also scored twice.
In Game 2, Grand Valley State wasted little time seizing the momentum of the game as the Lakers scored five runs in the top of the first inning. Torre Aguirre supplied the big blow with a 3-run home run.
GVSU blew the game open with four more runs in the third inning. The Lakers loaded the bases with nobody out, but Viking reliever Paddy Carroll induced a pair of infield ground balls, allowing the Vikings to retire the lead runners at home. But Carroll couldn't get out of the inning as Kyle Gendron lined a bases-clearing double. He then scored on a single by Cory Maguire.
That was more than enough run support for Matt Cade. Cade pitched five innings and held the Vikings hitless for 4 2/3 innings before
Deryk Marks lined a single into right field.
Augustana broke through in the scoring column in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Vikings scored three runs on four hits, including an RBI double by
Brian Knight and an RBI single by
Brendan Koistinen.
Hansen suffered the loss for the Vikings, allowing 5 earned runs in 2/3 innings of work.
Augustana returns to action on Monday with a doubleheader against Minnesota, Crookston, at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
