SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Augustana) –The Augustana baseball team defeated the Bemidji State Beavers in two games to capture the series win Sunday at Ronken Field. Augustana improves to 20-12 overall and 9-3 in NSIC action this season. Bemidji State drops to 2-25 overall and 1-11 in the loop.

Game One: Augustana 5, Bemidji State 4
Augustana bounced back late in the game to earn the victory in game one of the series. Bemidji State claimed an early 4-0 lead in the first inning after a Beaver hit a grand slam to get on the board first.

In the second frame, AU chopped the lead in half with two runs. A double from Tate Meiners plated Drey Dirksen to start Augustana’s scoring and a single up the middle from Max Mosser brought Meiners in to score.

Winterstein highlighted the Viking’s time at the plate with an inside the park home run in the sixth inning to give Augustana the lead, scoring Meiners and Trey Walker. 

Nick Banowetz totaled three stolen bases and Winterstein recorded three RBI and a home run.

Caleb Saari pitched a complete game for the Vikings, striking out 13 batters in the win. Saari’s record moves to 4-2 on the season.

Game Two: Augustana 11, Bemidji State 0
The Vikings controlled game two from start to finish, ending the contest in eight innings. The shutout is the second of the season for Augustana and the first in NSIC action in 2023. 

A sacrifice fly from Drey Dirksen that allowed Trevor Winterstein to score put the Vikings on the board in the first inning. AU kept it rolling when Jack Hines crossed the plate, adding another run and giving the Vikings a 2-0 lead after one frame. 

In the fifth inning, Hines scored his second run of the game to push the lead to 3-0. 

Nick Banowetz plated Winterstein on a single in the seventh inning, then scored soon after, stealing third base and scoring on an error by the BSU catcher. A single up the middle by Ragan Pinnow sent Hines in to score another run, closing out the seventh with a 6-0 lead. 

The Vikings ended the game in the eighth inning by scoring five runs. Tate Meiners sent Spencer Marenco home with a double to left field. Dirksen hit a grand slam to push Augustana up to 11-0.

Winterstein, Hines, Banowetz, Dirksen and Marenco recorded two hits each in the victory. Dirksen led AU with five RBI while Axelberg, Hines and Banowetz each went 2-for-2 on stolen base attempts. 

On the mound, Seth Miller started the game and earned the win, spending six innings on the mound and striking out eight batters to improve to 4-1 this season. Ashton Michek took over for Miller and tossed two innings, logging two strikeouts. 

Up Next
Augustana returns to Ronken Field on Monday to wrap up the three-game series against the Beavers. The first pitch is slated for noon.