SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Patience was key for the Augustana baseball team (43-8) to clinch a spot in the NSIC Championship and the team showed plenty of it in Friday's win over Concordia-St. Paul (25-15). The Vikings used 10 walks to outlast the Golden Bears, 8-4, at Karras Park and secure a spot in the NSIC Championship on Saturday.

The Vikings will be making their fourth NSIC Championship appearance and their first since 2015. The Vikings lone NSIC tournament title game in Sioux Falls in 2014 when they went 4-0 in the tournament.

The Golden Bears got the scoring started with a pair of runs in the first inning on a Drew Sannes two-RBI singles. The Vikings got a run back in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI single from Jordan Barth as Riley Johnson scored from first base on the hit.

The Vikings took their first lead of the contest in the fourth inning after putting up six in the frame. The Vikings used one hit, six walks and one hit batsman in the fourth for the Vikings to take a 7-2 lead. The Golden Bears picked up a run in each the fifth and sixth innings to cut the Viking lead to 7-4.

In the seventh, Lucas Wylie extended the Vikings lead with a sacrifice fly to score Barth. Wylie's RBI gave the Vikings an 8-4 lead and would conclude the scoring for the game.

David Flattery made his first start in two weeks for the Vikings after gave Augustana two innings. Thomas Bruss (1-0) earned his first collegiate win after going 3.1 innings in relief allowing two runs on two hits and striking out three. Dalton Allen, Austin Orvis and Michael Brandt tossed the last 3.2 innings allowing no runs on one hit with five strikeouts.

Barth and Sam Baier led the offense with two hits apiece and Baier led the way with two RBI. JT Mix tallied three walks in the nine spot in the order and Johnson had two from the leadoff spot.

Augustana will play in the NSIC Championship tomorrow, May 12, at Karras Park at 12 p.m. The Vikings opponent will be determined after two more games at Karras Park today.