SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The No. 5 Augustana baseball team split its first two NSIC games of the season, dropping a 4-3 heartbreaker before bouncing back with a 4-3 win on Monday afternoon at Ronken Field. 

The Vikings moved to 4-2 on the year and the Huskies went to 2-3 while both teams opened with a 1-1 conference record.  

Game One: St. Cloud State 4, Augustana 3
The Huskies opened the scoring in the second inning with a one out double, wild pitch and sac fly to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Joshua Koskie singled and Jason Axelberg was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the inning but a flyout, lineout and strikeout kept the Vikings off the board. 

In the bottom of the third, the Vikings used small ball to even the score. With an out, Winterstein slapped a single through the left side on the first pitch he saw. He advanced to second on a groundout and Sam Siegel delivered a base knock to right field, scoring Winterstein before getting thrown out at second to tie the game at 1-1. 

In the top of the fourth, The Huskies jumped back in front with a pair of two out hits and a wild pitch to go ahead 2-1. 

Two batters into the bottom of the fourth, Augustana had the lead back. Koskie worked a full count before drawing a walk and Axelberg hammered a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence to give AU a 3-2 lead. 

With nothing doing into the seventh inning, a costly error sunk the Vikings. With one out, a pop fly popped out of a mitt and onto the turf to give the Huskies a base runner and on the next pitch hit a home run to take a 4-3 lead. 

The Vikings put a comeback effort in the bottom of the frame with a pair of one out walks. A flyout moved runners to the corners but a strikeout ended the game and gave the Huskies the game one victory. 

The Vikings scattered four hits and drew five free passes as Koskie reached base three times and Axelberg reached twice. Ashton Michek struck out nine in seven innings while allowing four runs, three earned, in the loss. 

Game One: Augustana 4, St. Cloud State 3
Trevor Winterstein got the scoring started early, driving a no-doubter to right field to lead off the bottom of the first and give AU a 1-0 lead. 

In the bottom of the second, Axelberg singled and stole second with no outs before reaching third on a groundout. After a strikeout, Ryan Clementi flared a single to center, driving home Axelberg and doubling the lead at 2-0. 

The Huskies struck for a run in the top of the third inning on a two-out error to cut into their deficit at 2-1. That score would hold until the bottom of the fifth. 

With one out, Clementi hit a shot off the third baseman's glove and reached on an infield single before getting into scoring position when Eikmeier was hit by a pitch. Winterstein followed it up with a single through the right side, scoring Clementi and moving Eikmeier to third. 

Winterstein stole on the first pitch after his at bat and Jack Hines was walked to load the bases before Sam Siegel reached on a fielder's choice to score Eikmeier and make the lead 4-1. 

SCSU scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning to cut its deficit back to one. They threatened again in the eighth, getting a pair on with nobody out. A failed sac bunt gave AU the first out of the inning, a fly out to left gave them a second out and a fielder's choice ended the frame and kept the Vikings in front. 

In the top of the ninth, the Huskies got a pair on with one out to cause one last headache. Kai Taylor, who entered in the ninth, picked up a huge strikeout for the second out of the inning. The Huskies made it interesting with a two-out single in the ninth but Winterstein fired down the tying run at home to cap off the victory. 

Winterstein and Clementi had two hits apiece while Winterstein added two RBI compared to one from Clementi. Each of them also stole a base, joined by Axelberg int he stolen base column. 

Ethan Cole went six innings with six strikeouts and allowed just an uneraned run. Maddox Foss added two scoreless innings while Kai Taylor earned his first career save with a scoreless ninth inning. 

The two teams will square off for another doubleheader on Tuesday, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.