SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Vikings celebrated senior day on Saturday afternoon, just before a thrilling 5-4 win to earn a split against No. 4 Minnesota State at Ronken Field. Minnesota State earned a 6-5, come from behind win in game one.
The Vikings move to 31-13 overall and 25-9 in the NSIC while the Mavericks climb to 38-5, 30-4.
Game 1: Minnesota State 6, Augustana 5
The offense had eight hits, led by a 4 for 4 effort from
Trevor Winterstein, who finished a triple away from the cycle. Hines added two hits while they both had two RBI.
Ashton Michek allowed five runs on five hits while striking out three in 5+ innings.
Kai Taylor earned the loss, moving to 3-2 on the year after allowing a run on three hits in two innings of work.
The Mavericks opened the scoring with a two-run blast in the top of the first inning. Winterstein led the bottom of the inning off with a single before a
Bjorn Lind walk put the pair on with no outs.
On the first pitch seen by Hines, he ripped a triple to right center, scoring both and tying the program record for career RBI. He would score two pitches later on a
Jason Axelberg sac fly to give the Vikings a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Winterstein battled through a nine-pitch at bat with one out before launching a solo blast to right field to double the lead to 4-2.
The Mavericks scored a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth to even the game at 4-4. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth,
Jake Lundquist walked and
Kobe Eikmeier singled before a Winterstein double off the top of the wall put the Vikings back in front 5-4.
In the sixth inning, MSU scored a pair of runs on a two-out single to give them the lead and bring the game to its final score.
Game 2: Augustana 5, Minnesota State 4
Winterstein had three hits while Axelberg had two hits and three RBI in the bounce-back win.
Ryan Clementi reached base four times, going 2 for 2 while adding a pair of walks.
J.D. Hennen (5-2) allowed three runs, all earned, on three hits while striking out six in five innings.
Harry Blum moved to 4-2 on the year after throwing four innings of one-run ball while striking out four.
The scoring started in the bottom of the third. Winterstein reached on an infield single and stole second. He would reach third following a lineout and flyout and Axelberg reached on an infield single of his own with two outs to bring in Winterstein and give AU a 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks scored one in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, the Vikings were able to create chaos to give them a lead.
Ryan Clementi opened with a single before a one out hit from Winterstein put them on first and second.
A second out came on a fielder's choice and Hines drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. After a pitching change, Axelberg floated a ball just out of the reach of the shortstop, scoring a pair and bringing the Vikings within one.
On the next pitch, Berg grounded a ball that deflected off the second baseman to score Hines. The ball would get kicked away in right field, allowing Axelberg to wheel all the way from home where he was originally ruled out, but a replay showed obstruction at the plate to give Axelberg the plate and the lead.
The Mavericks went on to get runners on the corners with two outs in the eighth but a huge strikeout from Blum kept the Vikings in the lead. After AU left two in scoring position, MSU hit a two out double before a groundout closed the game and gave AU the split.
The teams will play a series-deciding third game on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch slated for noon.
