SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The No. 12 Augustana baseball team locked up its third consecutive NSIC regular season title on Friday afternoon, sweeping Minot State in the final regular season doubleheader at Ronken Field. It is the fourth conference regular season title in program history.

The Vikings move to 40-8 overall and 31-6 in the NSIC while the Beavers fall to 15-33, 12-26.

With five RBI on the day, Jack Hines broke the single-season record with 79 RBI. He also carries the program record with 20 home runs on the season. 

Game One: Augustana 15, Minot State 2
The Vikings scattered 15 hits in game one and had five different players with multi-hit games to help the Vikings clinch the NSIC regular season title.

Trevor Winterstein, Ryan Clementi, Jack Hines, Jason Axelberg and Nick Banowetz all had a pair of hits to lead the offense. Drey Dirksen hit a grand slam to finish with four RBI and scored two runs.

Ashton Michek moved to 8-2 on the season after allowing two runs and striking out three in five innings of work. Aidan Torpey and Logan Von Berge combined for two hitless innings to finish the game.

The Vikings extended three different career records in the win. Michek recorded a pick off, Hines was hit by a pitch, and Dirksen hit a home run.

The Beavers opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning. The Vikings countered with three in the second inning.

Dirksen worked a full count before drawing a walk and Meiners tripled to right, bouncing it over a diving right fielder to score Dirksen and tie the game at 1-1. After a pair of outs, Axelberg hit a no-doubter to left field to give the Vikings a lead at 3-1.

After a scoreless third, the Beavers hit another solo blast in the fourth before a pair of Viking runs grew their lead.

Banowetz reached on an infield single and stole second before a Winterstein bunt single put runners on the corners.

Winterstein stole second and both runners advanced a base on a Clementi sac fly and Hines hit a single in the hole at short to score Winterstein and put the Vikings in front 5-2.

In the fifth, Meiners was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and later stole second. Luke Ballweg sent a screamer up the middle to bring in Meiners.

Ballweg stole second and made third on a throwing error from the catcher before scoring on a single to center by Parker Mooney.

Mooney was lifted for Spencer Marenco as a pinch runner and Marenco reached third after two pitches on a Jason Axelberg double. Banowetz drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out.

After a pair of strikeouts, Hines was able to keep the runners moving on a two out error that kept the bases loaded and Dirksen made them pay, blasting a grand slam over the fence in left center to go ahead 12-2.

The Vikings added three insurance runs in the sixth. Marenco sent a two run home run to right center and Hines added an RBI single to close the scoring.

Game Two: Augustana 13, Minot State 6
The VIkings added 18 more hits to the total as Clementi, Tate Meiners and Axelberg all went 3 for 4. Clementi scored three runs, Meiners had a home run and four RBI and Axelberg added a run and an RBI.

Hines had three RBI on a triple and a pair of sac flies while Sam Siegel had two hits and two RBI. Dirksen had two hits, including a home run, two runs and three RBI.

Two more career records were extended in game two, as Dirksen hit another home run and Hines tripled to grow their respective leads.

Clementi hit a one out double and Hines tripled to right center to open the scoring in game two. After Dirksen worked a nine pitch at bat, he grounded out to bring home Hines and give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.

Leading off the second, Mosser reached on a throwing error and Axelberg singled. With one out, Banowetz loaded the bases with a single of his own. Sam Siegel rolled one through the right side to bring in Mosser and Axelberg and give the Vikings a 4-0 lead.

The Beavers were able to scrape across four runs on four hits to even the game at 4-4 in the top of the third.

Dirksen singled to left and advanced to second on a passed ball to open the bottom of the third inning. Meiners drove him home with a blast to centerfield, reclaiming the lead at 6-4.

After a Beaver run in the top of the fourth inning, the Vikings struck for three runs to grow the lead.

Banowetz singled to lead it off and Siegel put runners on the corners with a single of his own. Winterstein entered as a pinch runner for Siegel and stole second before a four-pitch walk by Clementi loaded the bases.

Hines added an RBI on a sac fly to center and Meiners singled up the middle to score both Winterstein and Clementi and increase the lead to 9-5.

After MISU cut its deficit to 9-6, the Vikings added three more in the sixth inning. Winterstein and Clementi each singled and then advanced a base on a double steal.

Hines knocked in Winterstein on a sac fly and Dirksen hit his second home run in as many games to add on and Axelberg hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to round out the scoring.

Up Next
The Vikings and Beavers meet for the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon for a 1 p.m. first pitch. 10 AU student-athletes will be honored pregame for senior day.