SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana baseball team closed its season-opening series on Monday afternoon, knocking off Bemidji 14-0 in seven inning conference game before a 4-2 victory in a non-conference matchup at Ronken Field.
Augustana 14, Bemidji State 0
The Vikings had 14 hits and struck out just five times as the offense powered their way to a win.
Kobe Eikmeier went 3 for 4 with three runs scored and two RBI in the leadoff spot while
Carter Heinsch (5 RBI)
Jake Lundquist (3 runs scored) and
Ragan Pinnow (3 RBI) also had multi-hit performances.
Ethan Hoffman (1-0) had a dominant outing in game one, allowing three hits and striking out seven in five scoreless innings.
Drew Ball finished the game with two scoreless innings, striking out three.
Hoffman struck out the side in the first and Eikmeier delivered in the leadoff spot. In a 1-1 count, Eikmeier delivered a home run to left field for a 1-0 lead.
Lundquist opened the second with a double and moved to third on the wild pitch. Pinnow scored him on a single through the left side and, with two outs, would come around on an Eikmeier double. A throwing error moved Eikmeier to third and a wild pitch brought him home to make it 4-0 Vikings.
In the fifth, Eikmeier singled and stole second to lead off the inning and scored on a Berg double to extend the lead. After a pitching change,
Joshua Koskie tripled in Berg and
Nate Soelter, who entered as a pinch runner for Koskie, scored on a Heinsch single.
Lundquist got runners on the corners with a single and moved to second on a Pinnow groundout that brought home Heinsch. Sutton completed the fifth inning damage with a single through the right side with two outs to bring home Lundquist and make it 9-0.
In the sixth inning, Heinsch blasted a grand slam, Lundquist walked and Pinnow rounded out the scoring with an RBI double to end the offensive damage in game one.
Augustana 4, Bemidji State 2
A pitchers dual ensued in game two as the Vikings ended on top. After 3.5 scoreless innings,
Ragan Pinnow broke it with a solo blast to left. In the top of the fifth, the Beavers hit one of their own to retie the score at 1-1.
The Vikings reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs,
Bjorn Lind walked and reached second on a wild pitch. Eikmeier was intentionally walked in a 3-1 count and
Brandon Weigel walked to load the bases.
Berg drove in the first run of the inning on a four-pitch walk and Heinsch drew a walk in a full-count to double the lead. After a pitching change, Lundquist added a walk on five pitches to make it 4-1. The Beavers scored a run in the sixth to bring the game to its final score.
Riley Rothschadl was dominant in his first outing since 2024, striking out seven while retiring all 12 batters he faced.
Will Henry (1-0) struck out five in 1 2/3 innings and allowed a pair of runs while
Adam Diedrich picked up his first save of the season, tossing 1 1/3 innings. The save was the 21st of his career, tying him for second on the all-time list.
The Vikings return to action Mar. 20-22 against Minnesota Duluth in Springfield, Mo.
