SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- A matchup with the number four team in the country is approaching as the Augustana baseball team (16-7, 9-1 NSIC) prepares to take on No. 4 St Cloud State (21-3, 9-1 NSIC) in a three-game series starting Sunday. The Vikings and Huskies are set to play at 6:15 PM on Sunday evening and a doubleheader starting at noon on Monday. 

The meeting is the first of the season between the two teams that sit atop the NSIC standings. St. Cloud State holds the lead in the all-time series at 48-33, with Augustana winning the last matchup. 

The Vikings are coming off of a doubleheader against Northern State that ended a week-long stretch of home games. Augustana split the series, losing 6-5 in game one, and winning 13-3 in game two. St. Cloud State enters the weekend tilt having won their last eight games by a combined score of 98-21 including a 19-0, 13-5 mid-week doubleheader against Upper Iowa.

Jordan Barth has led the way at the plate for Augustana this season as he has batted .420 with 23 RBI and a team-high three home runs. Riley Johnson is also putting up great numbers as he holds an 18-game hit streak and has posted a .411 batting average with two home runs, two triples, and 24 RBI.

Pitching newcomer and junior transfer from Iowa Central CC Max Steffens has been a revelation for the Vikings. He holds a 1.45 ERA with two complete games in six starts this season, along with a 2-0 record on the mound. Steffens has pitched two consecutive complete games, while holding a 1.29 ERA with 13 strikeouts in the two starts. 

In the past five games, Seth Miller holds the best batting average for the Vikings at .615 with a homer and six RBI. Evan Furst and Jed Schmidt hold the best ERA among starting pitchers in the past five games, each having pitched 6.2 innings with a 1.35 ERA.

Scouting St. Cloud State

Mitch Mallek leads the way for the Huskies on offense and has a .453 batting average while knocking four home runs and 26 RBI, which is tied for second on the team. Jordan Joseph leads St. Cloud State in RBI with 27 thus far while batting .389. The Huskies rank fifth in stolen bases in the NSIC as they have swiped 32 bases this year on 43 attempts. 

St. Cloud State holds the best team ERA in the NSIC at 3.26 and the most strikeouts in the conference at 252. The Huskies are second to Augustana in opponent batting average, holding opponents to .233 at the plate. 

Blake Flint holds the best ERA on the Huskies' pitching staff, holding a 2.12 ERA in 29.2 innings pitched with a 3-0 record. Sheldon Miks has pitched the most inning and holds the most wins for St. Cloud State with a 5-1 record in 31.2 innings pitched with 39 strikeouts. Matt Butler serves as the closer for the Huskies as he has pitched 15.1 innings with three saves thus far, while holding a 1.17 ERA. 

Next Up

Augustana's next matchup is a mid-week doubleheader with Southwest Minnesota State scheduled for Wednesday, April 3.