SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The No. 12 Augustana baseball team concluded its best regular season in program history with a 12-2 win in seven innings over Minot State on Saturday afternoon at Ronken Field.
The Vikings finish the regular season 41-8 overall, beating the 2018 team's program record of 40-8. They also end the year as the NSIC regular season champions with a 32-6 conference record. The Beavers conclude their season at 15-34 overall and 12-27 in the NSIC.
Jack Hines and
Tate Meiners each went 3 for 4 to lead the offense. Hines scored a run and drove in a run while Meiners had a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI.
Jason Axelberg had two hits and three runs scored while
Spencer Marenco had two hits and two runs scored.
Caleb Saari moved to 7-1 on the season after throwing a pair of scoreless innings to open the bullpen game for the Vikings.
Caleb Kranz followed with two scoreless innings and
Will Henry,
Drew Ball, and
Ethan Cole combined for 2 2/3 of hitless baseball to close it.
The Vikings loaded the bases with one out in the first and Meiners scored two with a single to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
Marenco singled to open the second and moved to second on a
Nick Banowetz ground out. With two outs, Ballweg singled through the right side to drive home Marenco and grow the lead to 3-0.
Meiners opened the third with a single and Axelberg was hit by a pitch to get Meiners to scoring position.
Max Mosser followed with a single to score Meiners and get runners on the corners.
A failed pickoff moved Mosser to second and allowed Axelberg to score and Marenco got runners back on the corners with a bunt single.
Maddux Baggs sent one off the fence for a double to score Mosser and Banowetz reached on an infield single to increase the AU lead to 7-0.
Banowetz stole to get two in scoring position before
Luke Ballweg hit a sac fly to score Baggs and Hines followed with a single up the middle to score Banowetz and close a six run third inning.
With two outs in the fourth, Ballweg was plunked on the first pitch of an at bat with the bases loaded for the 10th Viking run of the game.
After the Beavers scored a pair to get within the run rule in the top of the fifth, the Vikings countered with two to get in position for a shortened game. Meiners hit a solo home run and Mooney had an RBI double to close the scoring.
Up Next
The top-seeded Vikings head to Bismarck for the NSIC Tournament where they'll take on the NSIC eighth seed at noon on Wednesday.
