SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana baseball team closes a nine-game homestand on Wednesday afternoon, hosting crosstown rival Sioux Falls at Ronken Field. First pitch for game one is set for 4 p.m.

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. 

Series History
The Vikings are 38-16 in the all-time series and 27-9 at home against the Cougars. Their most recent meeting came on April 20 when Ragan Pinnow delivered his third hit of the game, a walkoff two-run single to knock off USF 8-7. 

The Cougars
Sioux Falls is 19-11 overall and 12-8 in the NSIC following a sweep over Bemidji State last weekend. Grant Hieb is 132-201 in eight seasons leading the Cougars.

David Swanson heads the offense with a .345 average, 35 runs and 40 hits while Tyler Cate bats .344 with a .459 OBP. The Cougars score 7.2 runs per game, eighth in the NSIC.

Owen Weadge holds a 3.00 ERA and has struck out 40 in 39 innings to lead the staff. Derek Lundgren has been lights out from the bullpen, giving up just four hits while striking out seven in 12 scoreless innings. USF holds a 5.24 team ERA, fifth in the NSIC. 

The Vikings
Augustana is 22-6 overall and 14-4 in NSIC play after a dominant sweep of UMary last weekend. The Vikings are seventh in the country with 9.9 runs per game. 

The Vikings slugged 14 home runs in four games against the UMary, led by four each off the bats of Jack Hines and Drey Dirksen, and outscored the Marauders 47-4 in the sweep. Over the course of the week, Hines hit .450 with four home runs, a double, two triples, 15 RBI, nine runs scored, and a 1.755 OPS while slugging a pair of grand slams on his way to NSIC Player of the Week honors. Caleb Saari threw a seven-inning complete game shutout in the first game on Friday, striking out 10 on his way to NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors. 

Hines has been the best offensive player in the NSIC this season, batting .433 with a league-high 1.435 OPS, 14 home runs, 51 RBI, and 42 runs scored while having 11 steals, the most in the NSIC without being caught. 

In NSIC action, the numbers get even better. In 18 games against NSIC foes, Hines is hitting .438 with a 1.574 OPS, knocking out 11 of his 14 home runs and driving in 38 of his RBI against the conference. He also has 70 total bases, 18 more than the next highest total. 

Nationally, Hines is first in the country in RBI per game (1.82), first in slugging percentage (.952), second in home runs per game (0.50), seventh in home runs (14), seventh in runs per game (1.50), and ninth in RBI (51).

Max Mosser is second on the team with a .431 batting average (22 for 51) and a .554 on-base percentage. Behind them is Luke Ballweg, whose .367 average and six home runs are both good for third on the team, while his 1.269 OPS is second. Parker Mooney has been a key contributor with a .340 average, 1.152 OPS, five home runs, and 22 RBI. 

Jason Axelberg is batting .328 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 25 games and 17 starts. Joe Kolbeck has provided a spark in 25 games this season, hitting .338 with 18 RBI, 25 runs scored, six stolen bases, and a 1.137 OPS. Nick Banowetz is hitting .315 with a team-high 15 stolen bases, and Dirksen has slugged 10 home runs while collecting a .302/.455/.744 slash line. He's drawn a team-high 21 walks and been plunked four times while scoring 29 runs. 

As a team, AU ranks fourth in the country in home runs per game with 1.82, fifth with a .580 slugging percentage, 21st with a .439 on base percentage, 24th with a .326 batting average, and 32nd with 2.21 steals per game.

15 AU hitters have recorded multi-hit games, led by 14 from Hines. He has now recorded a hit in 24 of 28 games to open the season, and has reached base in 27 of 28 games. 

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 on Saturday afternoon, 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 28 in 20 1/3 innings while allowing an opponents batting average of .231. Tom Sun has allowed two earned runs and struck out nine in 8 1/3 innings in six relief appearances. 

As a staff, the Vikings have struck out 281 hitters in 213 2/3 innings. They're first in the country with seven shutouts, first with an 11.8 K/9 rate, third with a 3.35 K/BB ratio, seventh with a 1.26 WHIP, 10th with 7.83 H/9 allowed, 22nd with a 4.13 team ERA, and 26h with 3.54 BB/9. 

Numbers Game
Jack Hines finds himself all over the career leaderboard. The senior ranks tied for second with 38 HBPs, third with 11 triples, fifth with a .661 slugging percentage, seventh with 30 home runs, eighth with a .462 on-base percentage, and ninth with a .373 batting average.

Drey Dirksen continues to inch closer to the program's home run crown. He has hit 46 in his career, tied for second most in program history. He now sits three away from the program record, held by Nate Baumann (49, 2008-11). The number is also tied for sixth most among active DII career leaders. He's also tied for first with 16 sac flies, sixth with 89 walks drawn and sixth with a .653 slugging percentage.

Trevor Winterstein is eighth in program history with 52 stolen bases, while Nick Banowetz is ninth with 51. Ashton Michek is eighth in program history with a 2.47 career ERA and holds the record for career pickoffs with 12. 

Caleb Saari (229) moved up to third in career strikeouts, while Caleb Kranz (202) is seventh. Kranz also ranks second with a 12.57 K/9 rate, while Ethan Cole slots at fifth with 12.50. Adam Diedrich is third in program history and third among active career DII leaders with 20 saves.