SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The No. 24 Augustana baseball team takes a seven-game win streak on the road for a three-game set at Winona State. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m., before a single game at noon on Sunday. 

Complete action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play. 

Dirksen's Dominance
Drey Dirksen has caught fire to elevate the Viking offense, and his recent hot streak puts him in position for a memorable weekend. The senior has slugged seven home runs in his last six games, including three in a doubleheader sweep over Sioux Falls on Wednesday. He has now hit 49 home runs in an Augustana uniform, tying Nate Baumann for the most in program history. 

Series History
The Vikings are 31-14 in the all-time series and 9-6 on the road against the Warriors. Their most recent meeting came in the 2023 NSIC Tournament when Caleb Kranz struck out seven in 6 2/3 and Parker Mooney, Jack Hines, and Nick Banowetz each had a pair of hits to lift AU to a 7-2 win. 

The Warriors
Winona State is 13-19 overall and 10-12 in the NSIC after getting swept by Minnesota State on Wednesday. Seth Wing is 212-269 in his career and 36-46 in two seasons with the Warriors. 

Cole Fuecker is batting .350 with four home runs and a 1.023 OPS to lead a WSU offense that has scored 4.6 runs per game, 13th in the NSIC. 

Peter Tveite is at the top of the rotation for Winona State, touting a 3.27 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in eight appearances and four starts. He earned National Pitcher of the Week earlier this season after spinning a seven-inning perfect game against Bemidji State. The Warriors hold a team ERA of 5.92. 

The Vikings
Augustana is 24-6 overall and 16-4 in NSIC play after a midweek sweep over Sioux Falls. The Vikings are eighth in the country with 9.7 runs per game. 

The Vikings had three program records that added a name tied at the top in their doubleheader against the Cougars. Along with Dirksen tying the home run record, Jack Hines moved into a tie for first in triples with 12 and times HBP with 39. 

In game one, Caleb Kranz and Will Henry combined for 12 strikeouts in seven shutout innings and Dirksen hit a pair of home runs to lead AU to a 9-0 win. In a back-and-forth game two, Hines delivered the decisive blow, crushing a two-run triple to help the Vikings to a doubleheader sweep. Tom Sun earned the victory in relief, recording five strikeouts in a dominant final 2 2/3 innings to collect his second win of the season. 

The Bats
Hines has been the best offensive player in the NSIC this season, batting .427 with a league-high 1.429 OPS, 14 home runs, 53 RBI, and 45 runs scored while having 11 steals, the most in the NSIC without being caught. 

In NSIC action, the numbers get even better. In 20 games against NSIC foes, Hines is hitting .429 with a 1.553 OPS, knocking out 11 of his 14 home runs and driving in 40 of his RBI against the conference. He also has 75 total bases, 12 more than the next highest total. 

Nationally, Hines is first in the country in RBI per game (1.77), first in slugging percentage (.945), fifth in home runs per game (0.47), seventh in runs per game (1.50), seventh in RBI (53), and eighth in home runs (14).

Also asserting himself atop the league with power numbers is Dirksen. After a slow stretch, he has caught fire. He ranks just behind Hines with a .835 slugging percentage, 1.310 OPS, and is tied for second with 13 home runs. In NSIC only games, he also ranks second with an .850 OPS, 1.292 OPS, and nine home runs. The senior catcher is eighth in the country with .43 home runs per game, ninth in OPS, and 16th in home runs while slashing .319/.475/.835.

Max Mosser is second on the team with a .411 batting average (23 for 56) and a .529 on-base percentage. Behind them is Luke Ballweg, whose .348 average, six home runs, and 1.199 OPS  are all good for third on the team. Parker Mooney has been a key contributor with a .345 average, 1.131 OPS, five home runs, and 22 RBI. 

Jason Axelberg is batting .323 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 26 games and 18 starts. Joe Kolbeck has provided a spark in 27 games this season, hitting .333 with 18 RBI, 27 runs scored, seven stolen bases, and a 1.101 OPS. 

Emerging of late is Sam Siegel. He's batting .306 with two home runs, 12 RBI, 10 walks, and 10 runs scored in 19 games. He holds a .958 OPS and has 18 total bases. Nick Banowetz is hitting .301 with a team-high 15 stolen bases, and Trevor Winterstein is up to .300 with 13 stolen bases. 

As a team, AU ranks fourth in the country in home runs per game with 1.83, fifth with a .582 slugging percentage, 21st with a .437 on base percentage, 34th with a .322 batting average, and 34th with 2.20 steals per game.

15 AU hitters have recorded multi-hit games, led by 15 from Hines. He has now recorded a hit in 25 of 30 games to open the season, and has reached base in 29 of 30 games. 

The Arms
Ashton Michek and Caleb Saari have been at the head of a pitching staff that ranks among the nations best. Michek has a 2.43 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings, and Saari holds a 3.00 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 45 innings of action. He has 51 strikeouts and has allowed an opponents batting average of .206. Riley Rothschadl made his first career start last weekend, striking out five in five shutout innings and allowed just one hit. The freshman has a 2.61 ERA in 10 1/3 innings of work. 

Being used both as a starter and out of the 'pen, Mariano Gomez has been electric. Gomez has a .185 opponents batting average and 43 strikeouts in 25 innings, and Adam Diedrich has four saves in eight appearances to lead the team. J.D. Hennen has also shined in his first season of extended work, striking out 36 in 26 innings while allowing an opponents batting average of .214. Tom Sun has allowed two earned runs and struck out 14 in 11 innings in seven relief appearances. True freshman Will Henry has also been impressive in relief, holding a 1.13 ERA and 0.63 WHIP while striking out 13 in eight innings. 

As a staff, the Vikings have struck out 306 hitters in 229 2/3 innings. They're first in the country with eight shutouts, first with an 12.0 K/9 rate, first with a 3.44 K/BB ratio, fourth with a 1.24 WHIP, sixth with 7.64 H/9 allowed, 16th with a 4.00 team ERA, and 21st with 3.49 BB/9.