SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -
Caleb Saari tied a program record with 17 strikeouts to dice the Augustana baseball team past Bemidji State 9-0 on Friday afternoon in the home opener at Ronken Field.
The senior right-hander from Moorhead, Minnesota, dealt from the start, carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning and allowed just one hit and one walk in a complete-game shutout. It was his fifth career complete game and first career shutout.
The Vikings (7-2 overall, 1-0 NSIC) had 13 hits as an offense, led by three from
Jack Hines. Hines hit a double and drove in four to power the bats.
Tate Meiners hit his third home run of the season and went 2 for 4 with three RBI, while
Ragan Pinnow also went 2 for 4 with a double, run scored, and a walk.
Drey Dirksen hit his fourth career triple and scored a pair of runs. AU had a hit from each of their nine starters and runs scored from six of them.
After Saari struck out a pair Beavers (1-14, 0-5) in the first inning, the Vikings struck first. A
Nick Banowetz single and
Joe Kolbeck hit by pitch put a pair of runners on. A double steal would put both in scoring position, and Hines dribbled one past the pitcher with one out to score Banowetz and open the scoring. Three pitches later, Meiners shot a fastball through the left side to drive home Kolbeck and give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
Saari continued rolling in the third, setting the tone when he struck out the side. Dirksen reached base with a one out triple in the bottom of the inning and would later score when Meiners sent a shot to left field for a two-out, two-run home run.
Ethan Cole reached on a HBP and Pinnow singled up the middle to keep the inning rolling, and Cole scored on a wild pitch during a
Cole Goeser at bat for the fifth run of the game. After another wild pitch sent Pinnow to third, Goeser smacked a single through the left side to bring him home and give the Vikings a 6-0 lead after three innings of play.
Sandwiched between five Saari strikeouts in the fourth and fifth innings, Kolbeck doubled, stole third, and scored when Hines delivered a sac fly to center field, growing the AU lead to 7-0.
Banowetz reached on an error to lead off the sixth inning and stole third before a Dirksen walk put runners on the corners. Dirksen reached scoring position with a steal, and Hines capped the scoring with a two-run double to put the Vikings ahead 9-0.
Over the final three innings, Saari racked up five strikeouts, including three in the eighth inning, to cap off the shutout.
The Vikings and Beavers will face off for a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, with first pitch for game one scheduled for 1 p.m.
–GoAugie.com–
