SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Augustana baseball team (20-7, 13-1 NSIC) is looking to stretch their five-game win streak this weekend as they travel to Minot, N.D. to take on the Minot State Beavers (15-9, 9-3 NSIC) in a four-game series. The Vikings and Beavers are the top two teams in the conference standings this season and battle for the top spot this weekend starting at 1:30 PM on Saturday and noon on Sunday.

The first three games of the series serve as conference games, while the fourth is considered non-conference.

The Vikings return to the diamond after sweeping a pair of NSIC opponents in No. 4 St. Cloud State and Southwest Minnesota State. Augustana holds the best batting average in the conference and has scored the second-most runs.

Jordan Barth leads the Vikings in batting average, hitting a phenomenal .443 at the plate with a team-high 31 RBI and six home runs. Riley Johnson holds a team-high 22 game hitting streak headed into the series with a .413 batting average and 28 RBI. Will Olson has a modest hitting streak of his own that has climbed to 12 games.

Max Steffens is expected to take the hill against the Beavers and holds the best ERA among qualifying players for the Vikings this season at 1.45. Steffens has seven starts this season and has thrown 43.1 innings with two complete games and a 2-0 record.

Scouting Minot State

The Beavers hold the longest win streak in the conference at seven games, having swept their last three series against Winona State, Sioux Falls, and Upper Iowa.

Michael Borst leads Minot State at the plate with the second-best batting average in the conference at .453 while driving in 34 RBI. The Beavers steal a lot of bases, with three of the top seven base stealers in the conference on the roster. Trevaun Smith has stolen the most bases in the conference at 20 thus far.

On the mound, Minot State is led by Jaymon Cervantes who holds a 3.18 ERA with 36 strikeouts this season.

Next Up

After the trip to North Dakota, Augustana is set to play against Minnesota Crookston on the road on April 10 in a mid-week series.