Viking Baseball Recap: The Boys of Summer

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Augustana baseball team saw 12 of its players suit up for summer baseball in 2020 in preparation for the 2021 college baseball season.

The Expedition League

Juniors Carter Howell and Mitch Stroh and seniors Koby Bishop and Darek Bornemeier took the field in the Expedition League this summer.

Howell played in 35 games for the Pierre Trappers and logged an impressive .320 batting average with 30 runs, 47 hits, eight doubles, one triple, four homers, 26 RBIs, 11 walks, three HBPs and 12 stolen bases. 

Fellow Trapper teammate, Mitch Stroh, also enjoyed a nice summer, playing in 18 games while logging 16 hits, three doubles, two homers, 14 RBIs, seven walks, and three steals, culminating in a .267 batting average.

Senior left-handed pitcher Koby Bishop saw 23.1 innings on the mound for the Trappers, as well. In seven appearances (five starts) Bishop went 1-0 while earning a save with a 3.85 ERA and 32 strikeouts. 

Fellow senior Darek Bornemeier suited up for the Hastings Sodbusters and notched seven runs, 13 hits, two doubles, one triple, two homers, nine RBIs and nine walks in 18 games.

The Coastal Plains League

Senior catcher Will Olson was the lone Viking to play in the Coastal Plains League this summer. He enjoyed a 13-game stint with the Macon Bacon, tallying six hits, one home run, four RBIs and six walks. The Bacon also went on to win the league title.

The Northwoods League

Seven Vikings wore five different uniforms in the prestigious Northwoods League over the summer. 

Senior infielder Jordan Barth had a monster season for the St. Cloud Rox. Barth hit .310 in 155 at-bats with 21 runs scored, 48 hits, four doubles, two triples, two homers, 27 RBIs, 11 walks, four HBPs, five steals, an OBP of .364 and slugging percentage of .400 while earning Player of the Night honors on July 27. 

Junior righty Seth Miller and senior lefty Tanner Brown both took the mound for the Willmar Stingers. Miller appeared in six games, making three starts for a 2-1 record and 3.80 ERA in 23.2 innings pitched. Miller also struck out 19 and was named team Player of the Game on August 8 after pitching 5.2 innings while only allowing one earned run against Barth’s Rox. Barth, however, went two-for-four in the game with a double and hit-by-pitch as his team went on to win 5-1.

Brown garnered Player of the Game honors twice and Northwoods League Pitcher of the Day on July 29 after throwing five perfect innings. The senior finished the summer with seven appearances (two starts) and a 2.96 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched with 43 strikeouts (second most on the team).

Sophomore catcher Drey Dirksen joined Brown and Miller on the Stingers, playing in 24 games with 10 runs, 13 hits, two doubles, one homer, 11 RBIs, eight walks, two HBPs and an OBP of .280. 

Senior right-handed pitcher Thomas Bruss took the mound for the Mankato Moondogs and pitched in 12 games for a total of 14.2 innings with 17 strikeouts. 

Jaxon Rosencranz, a senior outfielder for the Vikings, played in 29 games for the Bismarck Larks. Rosencranz tallied 17 runs, 25 hits, three doubles, one triple, three homers (tied for the team lead), 24 RBIs, 15 walks, three HBPs and an OBP of .339. The Larks went on to win the North Dakota region with a 33-15 record and five-game win streak to end the season. 

Sophomore infielder Tate Meiners took the field with the La Crosse Loggers going two-for-eight with three RBIs in the regular season and two-for-five in two regional games with one double and two walks. 

-- GoAugie.com --