SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana baseball team forced the decisive third game of the NCAA Central Super Regional Saturday with an 8-3 win over Minnesota State at Ronken Field. Game three will begin at 4:15 p.m. Saturday.
 
Augustana moves to 46-19 on the year while Minnesota State falls to 43-17.
 
Minnesota State earned its first run in the first inning as the leadoff hitter, Matt Fleischhacker, doubled into right center. He was then brought home on a single by Ryan Wickman for the early lead. The Mavericks then used small ball in the second frame to scratch their second run across the plate. Adam Weed was on base via a double, and was scooted to third on a sacrifice bunt. Adam Schneider then hit a Texas-leaguer into right field to score Weed.
 
Minnesota State also scored an unearned run in the second inning for the 3-0 advantage.
 
Augustana got on the scoreboard in the third inning with Nick Banowetz touching home plate as Drey Dirksen hit a ball hard at the shortstop. Tate Meiners then drew a bases loaded walk to push Parker Mooney across the dish at home. Mooney had reached base on a double on the right-field line to initially get into scoring position.
 
The Vikings then added two more runs in the fourth inning with back-to-back bases loaded fortunes. Meiners was hit by a pitch to send Jack Hines home. The next batter, Ragan Pinnow, drew a 3-2 walk to give Augustana its first lead of the series at 4-3.
 
A sacrifice bunt off the bat of Meiners gave Augustana a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning to score Drey Dirksen. A two-run seventh inning continued to boost AU's lead as Banowetz singled through the left side to score Maddux Baggs. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly from Parker Mooney scored Trevor Winterstein.
 
Meiners added a final insurance run for Augustana in the eighth inning as he propelled a home run far over the left-center field fence.
 
However, that was plenty of run support for Seth Miller on the mound as he only got stronger as the game went on. After the initial three runs over two innings, he didn't allow any damage from the Mavericks in the final seven innings as he earned his 11^th win of 2023. His final stats line allowed nine hits, two earned runs while striking out six in the complete-game effort.
 
Augustana recorded nine hits in the game with three from Banowetz to lead the way. Meiners recorded four RBI.