SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Augustana (34-14, 25-7 NSIC) earned a sweep of the Southwest Minnesota State (8-33, 6-20 NSIC) in their final home contest of the 2016 season defeating the Mustangs 6-0 and 4-2. Patrick O'Donnell picked up five hits on the afternoon to become the programs single season leader in total hits.

GAME ONE

Augustana wasted no time getting on the board in their final home stand of the season. The Vikings led things off with back-to-back singles from Justin Warne and Patrick O'Donnell. Alex Fink then cleared the bases with one swing of the bat has he blasted a home run to left field. The Vikings went back-to-back when Patrick Fiala made it 4-0 with a home run that just cleared the left field foul pole.

In the fourth the Vikings got some help from the Mustangs when a passed ball allowed Tyler Field to score. After Jacob James stole third, O'Donnell singled to shortstop to drive him in and give the Vikings a six run advantage.

Neither team scored after the sixth inning but the Vikings didn't need anymore runs as Ryan Hamilton was great on the mound. Hamilton pitched five solid innings picking up eight strikeouts while walking just one. The 6-0 victory was Hamilton's seventh win of the season.

Pitchers of Record

Win - Hamilton (7-2): 5 IP, 5 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts

Loss - Alex Jorgensen (0-7): 6 IP, 10 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned runs, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts

Viking Notables:

• The Vikings left seven runners on base

• O'Donnell went 3-for-4 at the dish

• Fink hit his eighth home run of the year

• Fiala hit his ninth home run of the year

• Warne earned a sacrifice bunt

• O'Donnell stole his 10th base of the season

• Field stole his fifth base of the year

• James stole his second bag of the season
 

GAME TWO

The final regular season home game for the Vikings was a low scoring affair on both sides as neither team could really get into a rhythm at the plate. However, part of the hitting struggles can be giving to the success of the pitching.

Augustana's Lincoln Voss struck out 12 Mustangs hitters on his way to a six inning victory while SMSU's Erik Thorvilson went the distance giving up just four runs.

In the first two innings the teams combined to pick up just one hit, a single from Warne in the first inning but it would go for not as the Vikings hit into a double play. It wasn't until the fourth inning that either team got on the board.

The first run of the game was scored by Augustana when Fink hit a deep fly ball to center field that allowed O'Donnell to score from second base on the sac fly. O'Donnell had reached base the play before on a double to right field.

The Viking got three extra runs in the fifth on one swing of the bat. The runs would turn out to be pivotal runs as well. With James and Wilber on base and Warne facing a full count he saw his pitch and connected on it, sending it deep left field giving the Viking 4-0 lead.

Southwest Minnesota State would put a scare into the Vikings in the sixth inning when the scored their first run on a passed ball and then scored another on a single up the middle. Augustana's pitching though would not surrender another run on their way to a 4-2 victory.

Pitchers if Record

Win - Voss (5-2): 6 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts

Loss - Thorvilson (0-3): 8 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs, 4 earned runs, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts

Save - Collin Lovell (2): 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts

Viking Notables:

• O'Donnell earned his 95th hit of the season in the fifth inning. His 95 hits are a program best single season mark

• Voss's 12 strikeouts was the seventh best single game performance in school history

• The Vikings left two runners on base

• O'Donnell hit his 22nd double of the year

• Warne hit his fifth home run of the season

• Fink recorded his fifth sc fly

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