SEARCY, ARK. – The Augustana baseball team got its season off to a rough start on Saturday, dropping both games in a season-opening doubleheader to Harding University on Saturday at Jerry Moore Field.

Game One

A couple of big late innings from Harding at the plate were key in the season-opening loss for the Vikings.

Patrick Fiala, making his Augustana debut, finished 2 for 4.

Michael Letkewicz (0-1) turned in a solid effort on opening day, going four innings and giving up two runs on four hits. The junior also had five strikeouts in the contest.

The Bisons' Collin Campbell (1-0) picked up his first win of the year, holding the Vikings scoreless in 5.2 innings of work while allowing just two hits in 20 batters faced.

Davis Richardson powered the HU attack at the plate with a three-hit day that drove in four runs.

Augustana had a scoring chance in the top of the second inning after it got runners on first and second with two outs and Lucas Barry at the plate. Barry couldn't capitalize, sending a grounder back to Harding's Campbell, who made the throw to first for the final out of the inning to keep the game scoreless.

The Bisons finally broke open the scoreless tie in the bottom half of the third by a double down the right field line by Harrison Hunter that put runners on second and third with one away. Zac Stewart brought home the runner on third base with a sacrifice bunt to make it 1-0.

Letkewicz limited the damage control with two quick outs, highlighted by his fifth strikeout of the game with a three-pitch punch-out of Richardson to end the inning.

A double to right center by Kyler Offenback scored Shane Kinnear from first base and pushed the Harding lead to two after four innings of play.

A strong fifth inning by HU at the plate pushed their lead four after a few errors by the Vikings infield. Freshman Jonas Lovin, making his collegiate debut, rebounded by getting the final three batters out to end the inning.

Harding busted the game open in the bottom of the sixth, erupting for seven runs to make it 11-0 in the game. The Bisons' big run was capped off by Alan Copeland's double to left field that scored a runner from second base.  

The Bisons struck again the bottom half of the seventh, tacking on 10 runs to make it 21-0.

HU would go on to take the first game 22-0.

Game Two

Following the tough opener, Augustana bounced back in the second game of the twin bill behind a strong performance from Ryan Hamilton on the hill before eventually coming up short 1-0 in extra innings to Harding.

For a second straight game, Fiala was the only Vikings player to pick up multiple hits in the game, going 2 for 3 in the eight-inning affair.

Hamilton gave the Augustana pitching staff a great start, going 5.2 innings while giving up no runs on just two hit and striking out four. The sophomore right-hander went 4.2 innings seeing his no-hit bid come to an end.

Collin Lovell (0-1) picked up his first loss of the year in a relief appearance. Lovell ended his day going 1.2 innings, giving up the lone run in the contest in the bottom of the eighth. He also finished with three strikeouts in his first collegiate appearance.

As opposed to the first game, game two saw both teams combine for seven hits, with the Vikings getting two in the top of the first, then neither team recording one until a single by Lucas Wilber in the top of the fifth. Augustana was unable to take advantage of the Wilber single, lining out immediately after to end the inning.

A promising sixth came to an abrupt end after Marcus O'Neill walked with one out to get a runner on with Jacob James at the plate. James lined into a 1-3 inning-ending double play.

The Vikings got their best chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs, Wilber was at the plate with runners on first and second and hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

The Bisons got their big break in the bottom half of the eighth after Lovell put two on base. Lincoln Voss, in to relieve Lovell, walked the next batter to juice the bases. After a pop out by Zach Beasley, HU took advantage of a wild pitch, scoring Hunter from third base for the win.

Up next
Augustana closes out the three-game series with a nine-inning game on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.