ABERDEEN, S.D. - The Augustana baseball team wasn't fooling around on April Fools' day in Aberdeen, S.D. The Vikings earned two victories in two different ways on Saturday. The Vikings took game one behind a barrage of offense that led to 11 runs but took game two with shut down pitching and a home run from Kris Ashland. With the two wins on Saturday, the Vikings improved to 16-11 overall and 10-2 in the NSIC.

Game One
Augustana got another solid start from Jacob Blank who earned his NSIC leading sixth win of the season on Saturday. The junior went five innings while striking out seven and allowing just four hits. He was relieved by Austin Orvis who pitched the final two innings allowing just one hit and striking out two.

The Vikings got on the scoreboard early and often in game one. Augustana scored two runs in the first on a Tyler Field single that scored Patrick O'Donnell and Sam Baier. They added three runs in the fourth inning when Zach Reeg doubled down the left field line to score Field. Reeg later scored on a passed ball. Riley Johnson made it 5-0 Vikings in the fourth on a single that scored Carter Wevik.

Field again produced the offense in the fifth inning with a single to center field for his third RBI of the day. Field's single scored O'Donnell. Lucas Barry picked up a RBI in the fifth with single to right that scored Ashland.

In the seventh inning, Augustana scored three runs. Alex Beals singled to score Jacob James while Zach Dibble reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Barry to score The Vikings final run of the game came on an O'Donnell single to right that scored Beals to make the game's final score 11-0 in favor of the Vikings.

Pitchers of Record
Win - Jacob Blank (6-0): 5IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 7 strikeouts, 6 walks
Loss - Thomas Sertic (3-1): 4IP, 10 hits, 8 runs, 7 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk

Viking Notables
• Augustana improved to 51-7 all-time against Northern State
• Blank has now pitched 31.1 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run
• O'Donnell and Field tied for the team lead in hits with three each
• Barry joined O'Donnell and Field with a multi-hit game. Barry had two hits
• Augustana left eight runners on base
• Seven different Vikings recorded RBIs in the game
• Reeg, O'Donnell and Field all had doubles
• O'Donnell, Ashland, Field and Wevik each stole a base
 

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Game Two
Game two was a pitchers duel throughout the game with the Vikings only recording two hits through the first six innings of play. Tyler Vaughn got the start for the Vikings, pitching 4.1 innings with three strikeouts and five hits.

Dalton Allen came in to relieve Vaughn in the fifth inning after a single. Allen ran into a little trouble after back-to-back walks loaded the bases but worked out of the jam to keep the game scoreless after five innings.

Ashland broke the scoreless tie in the seventh with one swing of the bat. The senior has been on a tear of late and continued his hot hitting with a home run down the left field line that gave Augustana a 1-0 lead late in the game.

Ashland's home run proved to be enough as the Vikings pitching staff got it done all game, pacing the Vikings a 1-0 win and earn a Saturday sweep over Northern State.

Pitcher of Record
Win - Dalton Allen (2-1): 2.0 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks
Loss - Nick Hoffard (1-4): 7.2 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks
Save - Collin Lovell (5): 2.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk

Viking Notables
• Augustana improved to 52-7 all-time against Northern State
• Ashland hit his third home run in the last four games and seventh in his last eight games
• The Vikings earned their 10th win in conference play
• This was just the Vikings third win of the season when being outhit by opponents
• Augustana improved to 4-1 when they hit at least one home run
• O'Donnell has reached base safely in 26 consecutive games

Up Next
Augustana and Northern State will conclude their 4-game series Sunday afternoon. Game one of tomorrow's doubleheader will begin at noon.