CARY, N.C.--Augustana baseball defeated No. 7 West Chester 5-1 before falling in a close game to St. Thomas Aquinas 5-3 on Sunday. The Vikings move to 10-6 on the season and close out the spring trip with a final game on Monday. The ranked victory is the first win over a top-25 opponent in 2023. 

Game One: Augustana 5, No. 7 West Chester 1
Augustana was the first team to score and it was early in the game when Nick Banowetz attempted to steal second base but was picked off, allowing Trevor Winterstein to run home and score.

It wasn't long before West Chester tied the game in the bottom of the first inning with one run.

The Vikings controlled the game after the tying run, scoring two runs to capture a 3-1 lead in the third frame. It started with a single from Ragan Pinnow that plated Banowetz, followed by a double by Drey Dirksen that brought Pinnow home.

In the seventh inning with the bases loaded, Joshua Koskie was hit by a pitch, taking his base and allowing Trey Walker to score. Winterstein would score the final run of the game in the ninth inning after Koskie reached first base on a bunt.

At the plate, Banowetz went 3-for-4 and Winterstein went 3-for-5. Koskie led the Vikings with two RBI. 

On the mound to start the game for the Vikings was Ryan Jares, who pitched six innings, struck out five batters and earned the win. Ashton Michek took over for Jares and got the save after three innings on the hill.

Game Two: St. Thomas Aquinas 5, Augustana 3
St. Thomas Aquinas scored a run in the first inning on a double to be the first team on the board. The Vikings were quick to tie the game in the bottom of the inning after Parker Mooney crossed the plate on a single hit by Drey Dirksen. 

The low-scoring affair saw the Spartans take the lead in the second inning with a single run. Augustana claimed its first lead of the game in the fourth inning when Trevor Winterstein sent Trey Walker and Joshua Koskie home to score. 

The Spartans tied the game up in the sixth inning, bringing the score to 3-3.

In the top of the ninth inning, the Spartans pulled away after scoring two runs.

Dirksen went 2-for-4 with one RBI and Winterstein recorded two RBI.

Seth Miller got the start on the mound for Augustana, pitching five full innings and striking out five batters. Caleb Kranz entered the game in the sixth inning, spending three innings on the hill and logging four strikeouts. Adam Diedrich tossed the final inning for the Vikings, striking out one.

Up Next
Augustana returns to the field in Cary, North Carolina, Monday to wrap up the spring trip. First pitch is slated for 9 a.m. at Coleman Field.

–GoAugie.com–