MANKATO, Minn. - The No. 1 Augustana baseball team (38-4, 24-4 NSIC) split the first two games of the four-game series against Minnesota State (28-11, 23-7 NSIC) on Saturday in Mankato, Minn.

Minnesota State took game one after scoring two runs in the seventh to walk off against Augustana and taking the game 4-3. The Vikings rebounded in game two with a 4-2 victory to split the day.

GAME ONE: Minnesota State 4, Augustana 3
In game one, Augustana dropped a heartbreaker to Minnesota State as the Mavericks earned a walk off win, 4-3. The Mavericks would score two runs apiece in the final two innings.

The Vikings scored three runs in the first three innings, but wouldn't muster any run support the rest of the game. Riley Johnson led the game off with a triple and would score on a RBI groundout from Michael Svozil. In the second, Lucas Wylie hit a solo home run good for his sixth on the season and second best on the team. The Vikings wrapped up their scoring in the third on a Sam Baier RBI double to take a 3-0 lead. The Mavericks would score four unanswered runs to win the game, 4-3.

Jacob Blank got the game one start and went six innings allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Johnson led the Vikings offense with two hits and two runs scored and Svozil, Baier and Wylie each had a RBI.

GAME TWO: Augustana 4, Minnesota State 2
The Vikings bounced back in game two with a win over the Mavericks. Augustana jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on to win the game 4-2.

Tyler Mitzel (7-0) picked up his team best seventh win of the year after going seven strong innings allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Derek Dahlke pitched a scoreless eighth and Zach Reeg picked up his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

The Vikings got on the board in the third after Carter Wevik doubled to left field and would scored on a Riley Johnson single. Johnson would score after stealing third and advancing home on a Maverick error to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.

Augustana added to its lead in the sixth with a Lucas Barry's first home run of the season. Barry's two-run shot gave the Vikings a 4-0. The Mavericks led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run and added another run in the seventh to make the score 4-2.

Barry and Aiden Ladd led the Viking offense with two hits apiece and Barry had two RBI and Johnson had the other RBI for the Vikings. Eight of the nine Viking hitters had at least one hit in game two as the team totalled 10 on the afternoon.

The Vikings and Mavericks will be back at it at Bowyer Field in Mankato tomorrow beginning at 12 p.m.