PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. - The No. 3 Augustana baseball team improved to 30-2 (16-2 NSIC) on the season behind a pair of one-run wins over Concordia-St. Paul (15-11, 8-8 NSIC) in Plattsmouth, Neb. on Friday. The Vikings used strong offense in game one to win 9-8 and used stout pitching to take game two, 1-0.

GAME ONE: Augustana 9, Concordia-St. Paul 8
In a battle of the top two pitching teams in the NSIC, offense was the main story in game one. The Vikings hashed out nine runs on 10 hits to outlast the Golden Bears who had eight runs on 13 hits.

The Golden Bears got the scoring started early by getting three runs in the first inning off of Jacob Blank. In the first the Golden Bears got to Blank with four hits. The Vikings would get on the board in the second on a Ryan Menssen two-run home run. The Golden Bears added to their lead in the third with a pair of runs, to chase Blank. Blank finished the day going three innings allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts.

The Vikings would add a pair of runs in the third and would take the lead for good after a five-run fourth. In the third, Sam Baier tallied a sac fly and Jordan Barth garnered a two-out RBI single to pull the Vikings within one. In the fourth, the Viking offense erupted for five runs, highlighted by a Michael Svozil two-run shot to left field. Lucas Barry would give the Vikings the lead with a two-run double and Jordan Barth capped the inning with a two-out RBI single.

The Golden Bears would get the Vikings lead down to one with a run in the sixth and two runs in the seventh, but Michael Brandt shut the door on the Golden Bears to pick up his fourth save of the season.

Tyler Mitzel (5-0) earned the win for Augustana after pitching three innings of relief allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Offensively, Barth was 3-for-3 with two RBI and Menssen and Barry each recorded two hits and two RBI.

GAME TWO: Augustana 1, Concordia-St. Paul 0
Game two was more like the pitcher's duel everyone expected from these two teams. Augustana scratched out a 1-0 win to sweep Concordia-St. Paul and move to 30-2 (16-2 NSIC) on the year.

David Flattery (5-1) gave the Vikings a sensational starting effort and picked up the win. Flattery went six innings allowing no runs on five hits while striking out 12 Golden Bears. Flattery's 12 K's were his second most on the season and his third double-digit strikeout game and leads the Vikings with 65 K's on the season.

Derek Dahlke and Zach Reeg threw a scoreless seventh and eighth, respectively and Michael Brandt shut down the Golden Bears again. Brandt struck out the side in the ninth to record his fifth save on the season and his second on the day.

The only offense in the game came when Riley Johnson had a leadoff double in the first and would score in the next Viking at bat. Johnson would steal third and would score on a Michael Svozil sac fly to give Augustana a 1-0 lead in the first and provide the only scoring necessary for the Vikings en route to the school record extending ninth shutout of 2018.

The Vikings hit the road next week for a midweek doubleheader in Marshall, Minn. against SMSU. The Vikings and Mustangs are scheduled to play at 1:30 p.m.