MANDAN, N.D. - For the first time since 2019, the Augustana Vikings are NSIC Tournament Champions. The Vikings knocked off Minnesota State 8-3 in the championship game Saturday afternoon to punch their ticket into the NCAA Tournament.

The victory gives Augustana its fourth tournament title in program history. It also marks the second time in program history that the team won both the NSIC regular season and NSIC tournament title, joining the 2019 team as the only two to do it.

2024 NSIC Player of the Year and NSIC Tournament MVP Jack Hines went 2 for 4 with a run scored while All-Tournament team member Tate Meiners had two hits, a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI.

Also named to the All-Tournament team was Drey Dirksen, who hit one of four Viking home runs on the day and scored a pair of runs. Jason Axelberg had two hits and a home run and Nick Banowetz hit a home run and scored two runs.

Joining Hines, Meiners and Dirksen on the All-Tournament team was Caleb Saari and J.D. Hennen after each earning a win in their respective outings.

Mariano Gomez got the ball and allowed three runs and struck out four while moving to 6-0 on the year. Ethan Cole earned the save with three shutout innings to cap off the championship.

For the fourth consecutive game, the Vikings fell behind 1-0 early, including the third consecutive game giving up the run in the first inning. Banowetz kept the trend of erasing the deficit early as well when he hit a solo blast in the bottom of the first to even the score at 1-1.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Dirksen took advantage of being pitched to. The senior drove a no-doubter over the fence in left center to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead.

In the fifth inning, MSU hit an RBI double to tie the game before the Axelberg home run on a full count with two outs regained the AU lead at 3-2.

A solo blast to lead off the sixth inning from the Mavericks evened things at 3-3. In the bottom of the inning, Banowetz drew a four pitch walk and Hines singled on a perfectly executed hit and run to put runners on the corners.

Dirksen hit a ground ball to third base as Banowetz took off on contact. He would get caught in a rundown before the catcher clogged the running lane, drawing contact with Banowetz and allowing him to score on obstruction to take a lead.

Later in the sixth the Vikings loaded the bases with two outs. Spencer Marenco stepped into the box as a pinch hitter and delivered one of the biggest hits of the tournament, singling to center and allowing Meiners and Hines to score and make the lead 6-3.

The finishing touches came in the seventh inning. Hines reached on a one-out single before getting out on a fielder's choice that allowed Dirksen on base. Meiners delivered the exclamation point, taking a two-run blast the other way to close the scoring.

The Vikings (45-8) ride a 10 game win streak into the NCAA Selection Show for seeding while Minnesota State (36-18) sits on the bubble. Both teams will know their fate at 9:30 p.m., Sunday night.