SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana baseball team opened the 2026 season at home on Sunday afternoon, winning 5-1 and 11-2 over Bemidji State at Ronken Field.
Troy Berg had himself a day, going 7 for 8 with four doubles, a triple and seven runs scored.
Augustana 5, Bemidji State 1
Ashton Michek shoved and the offense benefitted from the longball as the Vikings earned a season-opening victory.
Michek (1-0) threw five scoreless innings, striking out six while allowing just three hits.
Mariano Gomez threw the final two innings, allowing a run and a hit while striking out three in his season debut.
The Vikings scattered six hits offensively with Berg getting a pair and scoring two runs.
Carter Heinsch scored two runs and hit a home run while Pinnow added a pair of RBI.
After a scoreless first three innings, Michek worked around a two-out double in the top of the fourth to keep the game scoreless.
Brandon Weigel led off the bottom of the inning with authority, blasting a home run to left to put the Vikings on the board.
Berg followed with a bunt single and stole second with one out. Heinsch followed with a walk and a double steal got them each in scoring position. With two outs, Pinnow delivered a triple off the base of the wall in right to add a pair of insurance runs at 3-0.
The offense kept rolling in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach. Berg led off with a single and stole second. With one out, Heinsch delivered the dagger with a two-run home run to right field to finish the Viking scoring. The Beavers scored a run in the seventh to bring the game to its final score.
Augustana 11, Bemidji State 2
Berg went 5 for 5 with four doubles, a triple and three RBI in game two to power the offense. Heinsch and
Maddox Foss each had a pair of hits while Heinsch added a pair of walks.
In his Viking debut,
Will Simmons settled in after a shaky start. The transfer threw 3 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and a run while striking out six.
Jack Sutton followed with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 hitless innings.
After the Beavers struck first, the Vikings fired back for the lead. With one out, Weigel tripled and Berg doubled him home to even the scoring. Koskie moved him to third with a bunt single and stole second to get two in scoring position. Heinsh drove Berg in with a single and Koskie came into score on a wild pitch to give AU a 3-1 lead through the first.
The Vikings were able to tack on two more in the third to push their lead. Berg doubled to lead off the inning and was able to score after consecutive wild pitches. With one out, Heinsch delivered a triple and Pinnow scored him on a groundout to make it 5-1.
In the fourth,
Nate Soelter singled on a bunt, Foss reached on an infield single and Eikmeier earned a bunt single to load the bases. Weigel drove Soelter in on a sac fly and Berg doubled to bring home Foss and Eikmeier and force a pitching change. Berg scored two batters later on a wild pitch to give the Vikings a 9-1 lead through four innings.
In the sixth, Berg led the inning off with a triple and Schmelzle walked to get runners on the corners. Pinnow delivered an RBI single to bring in Berg and make it 10-1. BSU scored a run in the top of the eighth and Clementi added an RBI HBP in the bottom of the inning to bring the game to its final score.
The Vikings and Beavers close the series with two games on Monday afternoon, starting at noon at Ronken Field.
