MARSHALL, Minn. - The Augustana baseball team got back to its winning ways on Wednesday afternoon, winning 8-3 and 6-3 over Southwest Minnesota State at Legion Field.
The Vikings earned their 30th win for the 15th consecutive season (not counting 2020) and are now 30-12 overall and 24-8 in the NSIC. The Mustangs fall to 22-17, 17-15.
Game 1: Augustana 8, Southwest Minnesota State 3
Jake Lundquist went 2 for 2 with his first career home run and three runs scored while
Troy Berg added two hits in the victory.
Jason Axelberg had a three-run home run while
Trevor Winterstein drove in two runs and scored two runs.
Ryan Clementi allowed two runs on four hits while striking out three in 2 1/3 as the opener.
Aidan Torpey moved to 3-0 on the season with 1 2/3 scoreless innings,
Caden Oberbroekling allowed a run without recording an out and
Kai Taylor struck out six in three perfect innings to earn his third save of the season.
The Mustangs struck first with a first inning RBI single. The bats blasted through the top of the third for the Vikings, starting with a leadoff home run by Lundquist to even the score.
Winterstein singled with one out to restart the offense and
Carter Heinsch walked, with both advancing on a groundout. The advancement wouldn't matter as Axelberg sent a three-run shot to left field, giving AU a 4-1 lead.
SMSU countered with a run in the bottom of the third to get within two runs. In the top of the fourth, Lundquist and
Joe Kolbeck had back-to-back singles to get runners on the corners. Lunquist scored five pitches later on a Winterstein fielder's choice to put the Vikings ahead 5-2.
With the score 5-3 AU into the seventh, a three-run flood helped put the game away. Lundquist led off with a walk before getting to third on a failed pickoff. Winterstein reached and drove him in on a fielder's choice.
Heinsch kept the inning going with a single before a Hines walk loaded the bases. After a strikeout, Berg knocked in a pair on a single and error to bring the game to its final score.
Game 2: Augustana 6, Southwest Minnesota State 3
Ragan Pinnow went 3 for 4 while
Carter Heinsch and
Jason Axelberg had two hits apiece. Axelberg and Hines each hit home runs while Hines added a pair of HBPs.
Drew Ball struck out five in three scoreless frames as the starter.
Jadon Bast added a scoreless fourth while
Adam Diedrich allowed a run in 2/3 innings.
Harry Blum entered and struck out a pair in 1 1/3 innings while moving to 3-2 on the season.,
Joel Van De Stroet allowed two runs in 1 1/3 and
Jack Sutton earned his second save of the season in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Axelberg opened the second inning with a bang, sending a no-doubter to left field on the first pitch to give the Vikings the lead. The Mustangs were able to string together baserunners in the fifth inning, scoring on a two-out single to even the game at 1-1.
In the top of the sixth, Axelberg hit a one out single before advancing to third on a Berg single. Pinnow delivered a blow there, doubling down the left field line on the first pitch he saw to give AU a lead. Berg scored on an interference during a fielder's choice off the bat of Koskie and Pinnow came home on a
Ryan Clementi sac bunt to make it 4-1 AU.
The Mustangs put a threat together in the bottom of the eighth, scoring two runs to get within 4-3. After a Heinsch single led off the ninth, Hines delivered the dagger with a home run to left on a full-count to bring the game to its final score.
Augustana is in line for a huge series this weekend, taking on Minnesota State starting with a doubleheader for senior day on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m.
