SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Vikings used a balanced effort to sink UMary and complete a four-game sweep on Saturday afternoon at Ronken Field.
The Vikings are now 22-6 overall and 14-4 in the NSIC while the Marauders fall to 11-17, 7-11.
Game One: Augustana 11, UMary 3
Jack Hines went 3 for 4 with two home runs, six RBI, and three runs scored while
Drey Dirksen and
Tate Meiners each had two hits, a home run, and two RBI to power the offense to a game one victory. The Vikings slugged five home runs in game one, with
Luke Ballweg adding a solo blast to the total.
Mariano Gomez was solid again for AU, allowing three earned runs and striking out 12 in 6 1/3 innings on the mound while moving to 3-0 on the season.
Logan Von Berge entered to finish it off, collecting a strikeout in the final 2/3 of the seventh inning.
After falling behind 1-0 into the bottom of the third, the bottom of the lineup sparked the offense.
Spencer Marenco singled up the middle to lead it off and Meiners sent a two-run blast to right-center to give AU a 2-1 lead.
Following a groundout, Ballweg and Hines went back-to-back with solo shots. Ballweg hit a long blast over the scoreboard in right and
Jack Hines smashed one to center to put the Vikings up 4-1 after three innings of action.
In the fourth, Marenco drew a walk, Meiners singled on a bunt, and Ballweg walked to load the bases with one out. Hines answered the call, knocking the first pitch from the UMary bullpen on a line over the fence in right center for his second grand slam in as many games to put AU in front 8-1.
Ballweg led off the sixth with a four-pitch walk and then advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch. Hines parked a double off the left field fence to drive him in, and Dirksen sent a home run to left to give AU an 11-1 lead and deliver the final blow from the Viking bats.
Game Two: Augustana 10, UMary 0
Riley Rothschadl earned his first career victory in his first career start, and Dirksen collected three hits, including a solo home run, to push the Vikings to a run rule-shortened victory.
Rothshadl allowed just one hit in five scoreless innings while striking out five to shut down the Marauders.
J.D. Hennen,
Ethan Cole, and
Will Henry each threw a scoreless frame and combined for four strikeouts to finish the game on the bump.
Dirksen scored a pair of runs and drove in a run, while Hines drove in three runs and had a triple to lead the bats.
Sam Siegel had two hits and two RBI, and Ballweg went 2 for 4 with a blast.
The bats awoke in the second inning when Dirksen and Ballweg launched back-to-back home runs to lead off the second inning. Kolbeck almost followed with a home run of his own but settled with a triple off the wall, and Seigel hit a single on the next pitch to drive him in and give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
Winterstein drew a leadoff walk in the third and reached third after a pickoff attempt was thrown away by the UMary pitcher. He scored on a Hines sac fly to clear the bases and give the Vikings their fourth run of the game.
Dirksen followed with a double before getting to third on a Ballweg double that was hit straight in the air, landed in front of home, and rolled onto the line to stay fair. With two outs and the bases loaded, Siegel delivered his second consecutive RBI single to bring in Dirksen and give AU a 5-0 lead.
In the fourth, Meiners led off with a double, Winterstein doubled down the right field line to score him, and Mooney doubled in nearly an identical spot to give the Vikings a 7-0 advantage. Meiners then reached after a strikeout on a wild pitch, stole second, reached third on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth to tack on another run.
Winterstein drew a six-pitch walk and
Trey Walker was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the eighth inning. Hines decided the game was over two pitches later, slugging a triple to left to score them both and put the run rule in effect.
Up Next
The Vikings host crosstown rival Sioux Falls on Wednesday afternoon at Ronken Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
