SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana baseball team split with Wayne State on Saturday, falling in the day's opening game, 2-1, and bouncing back for a 6-4 win in game two.
 
The split moves the Vikings' record to 29-7-1 on the year and 19-4 within the NSIC. Wayne State's record is now 16-16, 10-9.
 
Game One: Wayne State 2, Augustana 1
The pitching staffs of each team had things in check as Ryan Jares tossed 5.2 innings for Augustana, allowing three hits and just two runs, one earned. He struck out eight hitters.
 
In opposition, Andrew Staebell for WSC threw seven innings, allowing just five hits.
 
Wayne State jumped on the scoreboard first on a home run. In the fifth, Jack Hines answered back in the bottom of the fifth with a home run into left-center field. The home run was the third of the year for Hines.
 
The Wildcats were gifted the winning run in the top of the sixth in a play that saw two uncharacteristic Viking errors.
 
The Vikings' five hits in the game came from five different spots in the lineup, on each from Carter Howell, Jordan Barth, Will Olson, Tony Lanier and Hines.
 
Game Two: No. 15 Augustana 6, Wayne State 4
Following a game that didn't see much offense, Will Olson made sure there would be fire power in game two as he hit a two-run home run in the opening frame. Max Mosser started the game with a single up the middle, which then allowed Olson to crank one over the center-field fence for the early 2-0 lead.
 
That allowed Jed Schmidt to settle in as he threw five innings on the hill, allowing six hits and just two runs while striking out five.
 
In the fourth inning, Drey Dirksen hit a sacrifice fly to allow Jaxon Rosencranz to cross home plate for a 3-0 lead. That advantage moved to 5-0 thanks to a Will Olson single. That easily scored Mosser, but an error out in left field allowed Jordan Barth to circle the bases for the added insurance run.
 
The next batter, Luke Ballweg, then grounded out but it allowed Olson to cross home plate for the final run of the game for AU.
 
The Wildcats tried mounting a comeback with three runs in the third and a fourth in the ninth. But after Drey Dirsken moved from catcher to pitcher, he slammed the door on the comeback to earn his second save of the season.
 
Olson concluded the game with three of the Vikings' 10 hits with three RBI. Mosser totaled three hits and crossed home plate twice.
 
Up Next
The Vikings travel to Winona State on Wednesday for a 1:30/3:30 p.m. doubleheader.
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