SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The No. 11 Augustana baseball team pushed its record to 18-1 on the season with a doubleheader road sweep of Briar Cliff (14-9) on Sunday in Sioux City, Iowa. The Vikings pummeled the Chargers in game one, 13-4, and rallied to win game two, 3-2.

GAME ONE: Augustana 13, Briar Cliff 4
The Vikings moved to 17-1 on the year behind a strong offensive performance in game one against Briar Cliff. The Vikings took down the Chargers, 13-4, behind 16 hits from the Augustana offense.

The Chargers go the scoring started in the first with a RBI single, but the Vikings would answer with 11 unanswered runs. Augustana would get on the board in the second with a Riley Johnson RBI single and Michael Svozil would get the Vikings the lead with a sacrifice fly.

Augustana extended its lead third with a three-run frame. Trent Herman recorded a two-RBI double and would score on a Charger error, giving the Vikings a 5-1 lead through three. In the fifth, the Vikings would open the game up with a six-run inning. Carter Wevik got it started with a two-RBI double. Svozil and Sam Baier would follow with RBI singles and Jordan Barth would tally a RBI double. Ryan Nickel finished the inning with a RBI single, scoring Barth.

The Chargers picked up a run in the fifth and the Vikings would answer with another run in the sixth on a Zach Reeg pinch hit home run. After Briar Cliff added two runs in the sixth, Nate Crossman finished the scoring with a RBI single to give the Vikings the final score of 13-4.

Dalton Allen (2-0) picked up his second win of the season after throwing four innings as the Vikings starter. Allen gave up one run on one hit, with three walks and six strikeouts.

Offensively, Svozil went three-for-four at the plate with two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Herman and Wevik each had two hits and two RBI and Barth had two hits and one RBI.

GAME TWO: Augustana 3, Briar Cliff 2
In game two, Augustana scored three unanswered runs to squeak out a 3-2 win over the Chargers as the game was called in the sixth due to darkness.

Briar Cliff got the scoring started with a pair of runs and chased Viking starter Thomas Bruss first. Viking reliever, Clay Collison would enter in the inning and shutdown the Chargers. Collison tossed 4.1 innings of relief allowing only one hit with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Augustana would get on the board in the fourth after both Ryan Nickel and JT Mix scored on wild pitches to tie the game at 2-2. The Vikings would capture the lead in the sixth with a RBI single from Riley Johnson.

Derek Dahlke (3-0) picked up the victory for the Vikings after relieving Collison and going 1.1 innings allowing one hit with three strikeouts. Johnson was the only Vikings with multiple hits (two-for-four) and had the only RBI. Nickel, Mix and Lucas Barry each had a run scored.

Augustana returns to action on Tuesday, March 27 for a doubleheader in Fayette, Iowa against Upper Iowa beginning at 1:30 p.m.