BOX SCORE ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Augustana (36-17) and Wayne State concluded yesterday's suspended game this afternoon and the Wildcats came away with a 6-4 win in the NSIC Tournament opener for both teams. When the game was picked up this afternoon, Wayne State (27-18) had runners on first and second base with one out in the top of the eighth inning.
Wayne State added to its 4-3 lead in the eighth inning when Michael Herman reached on a fielder's choice and on the play, Brett Keim scored on an error by
Zach Dibble to make the score 5-3. Tanner Lancaster then sent a sacrifice fly to center field to score Justin Beranek giving the Wildcats a 6-3 lead.
The Vikings went right to work in the bottom of the eighth inning with
Tony Viger and
David Borchardt getting on board with back-to-back walks.
Nate Hewes then flew out to center field, allowing Viger to move up to third base, and eventually score on a sacrifice fly by
Kye Winter bringing the Vikings within two at 6-4. That would be all the scoring the Vikings would do in the eighth and the Wildcats took a 6-4 lead into the final inning.
The Vikings got a two-out single by
Jake Petersen in the bottom of the ninth inning but the Vikings were unable to push a run across and the Wildcats advanced in the NSIC Tournament.
Nate Hewes led the Vikings at the plate in the NSIC Tournament opener, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI, including a double and a home run. Petersen was 3-for-5 with three singles and a run scored.
Augustana opened up the scoring in the bottom of the second inning and took a 1-0 lead when Hewes belted his team-leading eighth home run of the season over the right field wall.
Wayne State answered and took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Michael Herman led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tanner Lancaster.
Curtis Bussard and Blake Brisson then hit back-to-back doubles to put the Wildcats up 2-1. With Brisson on second, CJ Nolen was hit by a pitch and Kevin Andersen flew out to right field to move Brisson up to third. With runners on first and third, Nolen stole second base while Brisson swiped home to make it a 3-1 game.
The Wildcats added an unearned run in the top of the fourth to push their lead to 4-1.
After a scoreless fifth inning, The Vikings pushed two runs across in the bottom of the sixth inning to get within one at 4-3.
Jake Petersen and
Marcus O'Neill led off the inning with back-to-back singles and after a
Tony Viger fly out,
David Borchardt was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Hewes came up with another clutch hit for the Vikings with a two-RBI double to left field to score O'Neill and Petersen and force a Wayne State pitching change. Eric Schwieger came in to pitch for the Wildcats and ended Augustana's threat getting a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning.
Sam Gotham and
Matt Musser came in to pitch two solid innings in relief of Viking starter
Jordan Milbrath to hold Wayne State off the board in the sixth and seventh innings.
Michael Willman Jr. came in to pitch for the Vikings in the eighth inning and struck out the first batter he faced before walking two straight. After the two walks, the game was suspended due to heavy rain and poor field conditions.
Augustana is still alive in the double-elimination tournament and will take on Minnesota Duluth at 3 p.m. this afternoon.
