BOX SCORE 1 |
BOX SCORE 2 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana got a stellar pitching performance from
Jordan Milbrath in a 2-1 game one win over the University of Sioux Falls before the Cougars (8-16, 3-7 NSIC) broke a tie game in the top of the seventh inning earning a 6-2 win over the Vikings (16-11, 4-2 NSIC) in the nightcap.
Game one
Jordan Milbrath scattered two hits through five innings to carry the Vikings to a 2-1 victory in the first game of a doubleheader over cross-town rival University of Sioux Falls.
Milbrath struck out seven batters and faced only 16 batters to earn his fourth win of the year and remain undefeated at 4-0.
Derek Quame came on to retire all six batters in relief work and recorded his eighth save. Derek Fischer pitched all six innings for the Cougars and is saddled with the loss despite giving up just one earned run.
David Borchardt and
Alex Fink tallied two hits each to lead Augustana and Borchardt knocked in the go-ahead run in the third inning.
The Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Keith Cutler homered on a 1-2 pitch to right field to lead off the second inning. Augustana quickly responded with a run of their own, in the bottom half.
Fink's line drive single gave the Vikings a runner with two outs.
Brian Duxbury made the Cougars pay with a triple to right-center and scored Fink to tie the game at 1-1.
One inning later,
Marcus O'Neill reached on an error by the USF second basemen and reached second to set up Borchardt's game-winning single through the right side.
With a 2-1 lead, Milbrath and Quame didn't give up a hit for the next four innings and Augustana win by a final score of 2-1.
Game two
Noah Coleman (2-3) earned the win for the Cougars in game two coming into the game in the bottom of the sixth with the score tied at 2. Coleman tossed 3.1 innings and struck out three batters while holding the Vikings hitless through the final three and one thirds of an inning.
Grant Larson (2-4) was tagged with the loss for Augustana after giving up the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh on a single by Damian Kardas.
USF opened the scoring and took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning when Jeremy Varner delivered a two-RBI single to right field with the bases loaded and two outs.
Augustana was held without a hit until the bottom of the fourth inning when
Marcus O'Neill singled up the middle to start the inning. After the single
Tony Viger popped up to the shortstop and USF was able to catch O'Neill too far off of first base for the double play.
Augustana tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when
Kye Winter followed a leadoff single by
Alex Fink with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot into the wind to left field, tying the game at 2.
Larson set the Cougars down in order in the top of the sixth, but the Vikings left two runners on base in the home half of the inning. With one out in the sixth, O'Neill sent a double down the left field line and Viger followed that with a walk to put runners on first and third.
Jack Goihl then reached on a fielder's choice and the inning ended when
Alex Fink lined out hard to center field.
The Cougars pushed the go-ahead run across in the top of the seventh when Varner scored on a single by Kardas. Varner delivered a two-out single in the seventh and moved up to second base on a passed ball before scoring on the single to make it a 3-2 game in favor of USF.
The Cougars pushed three more runs across in the top of the eighth inning after the Vikings' bats went quite over the final three innings. Augustana was held hitless in the final three innings of the nightcap.
Augustana returns to action this Saturday and Sunday with a four game series at Minnesota State. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. while Sunday's double dip will get underway at 12 p.m.
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