RAPID CITY, S.D. - The Augustana baseball team split a pair of games on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 7-4 opener to MSU Denver before a 16-5 win in a run-rule shortened game two at Dave Ploof Field. The Vikings are 10-6 on the season while the Roadrunners move to 9-12.
Game 1: MSU Denver 7, Augustana 4
The Vikings struck early as
Jack Hines kept the first inning alive with a two-out double and
Jason Axelberg reached on an error, allowing Hines to come around and score and give AU a 1-0 lead.
The Roadrunners countered the early run with two runs in the second inning and two runs in the fourth inning to go ahead 4-1. That lead would hold until the sixth inning.
A wacky bottom of the sixth saw the Vikings score three runs to even the scoring. Hines reached on a bunt single and stole second with one out.
Sam Siegel reached on an error by the first baseman to get runners on the corners for
Joshua Koskie.
Koskie shattered his bat on a comebacker that saw the pitcher throw it to third as Hines was caught in the middle. He was able to escape and score to add a run while Siegel got around to third and Koskie reached second. A
Troy Berg sac fly and two-out wild pitch helped bring both Siegel and Koskie home to make it 4-4.
In the top of the seventh, MSUD scored three runs after the first two batters of the inning got out to put themselves back in front 7-4. AU loaded the bases with two outs to give themselves a chance, but a strikeout ended the game and gave the Roadrunners the win.
Hines had two of the four Viking hits as
Ryan Clementi and
Bjorn Lind each added one. Hines scored twice while Koskie drove in and scored a run.
Ashton Michek allowed four runs in 3 2/3 to start.
Ethan Hoffman and
Jack Sutton combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings and
Ethan Cole allowed three in one inning to be dealt the loss, moving to 2-2 on the season.
Game 2: Augustana 16, MSU Denver 5
The bats arrived early for Augustana, allowing them to salvage a split. After falling behind 1-0 due to a solo home run, Winterstein singled, stole second and advanced to third on an error with no outs before scoring on a groundout to even the scoring.
Axelberg was able to draw a two-out walk to keep the first inning alive and
Troy Berg drove a double to left center, allowing Axelberg to score and giving AU a 2-1 lead.
After a scoreless second inning,
J.D. Hennen had a pair of strikeouts to put up a 0 before a five spot opened it up for Augustana. Axelberg drew a one out walk before Berg smacked a home run to left center to double the Viking total.
Bjorn Lind and
Sam Siegel drew a free base before Lind was picked off for the second out.
Jake Lundquist reached on a bunt single to keep the inning alive,
Kobe Eikmeier ripped an RBI single and
Trevor Winterstein singled to drive in a pair to make it 7-1 AU.
A Roadrunner run in the fourth to bring them within five. Axelberg drew another walk to lead off the bottom of the inning and stole second before a
Troy Berg poke snuck in behind the first baseman to get them both in scoring position. A wild pitch scored one and groundout scored another to make it 9-2.
Two more runs were added in the fifth for the Vikings. An Eikmeier double and Winterstein bunt single got runners on the corners. With one out, Hines singled in Eikmeier and then Berg doubled in Winterstein with two outs to put the game near run-rule territory at 11-2.
A three-run sixth inning from MSUD gave them life but the Vikings scored five runs on five hits in the bottom of the inning to put the game away. Lundquist drilled a one-out single and Eikmeier walked to get the pair on. Winterstein followed with a three-run blast to right field to cancel out the three Roadrunner runs.
With two outs,
Nate Soelter pinch hit and reached on a bunt single. Axelberg put a bow on top in the next at bat, scorching a two-run blast to right center to bring the game to its final score.
Berg finished the day 4 for 5 with three doubles, a home run, four RBI and two runs scored. Winterstein added four hits, five RBI and three runs scored.
Kobe Eikmeier went 2 for 2 with a double, two walks and three runs scored while
Jason Axelberg went 1 for 2 with three walks, a home run and four runs scored.
J.D. Hennen allowed four earned runs and struck out six while earning the victory, moving to 2-0 on the year.
Will Henry got an out in relief and
Ryan Clementi sent down all four he faced to finish the game.
The two teams will match up for a single game on Monday, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m., central time.
