SIOUX FALLS, S.D.–The Augustana baseball team split in a doubleheader with the UMary Marauders on Wednesday at Ronken Field. Augustana moves to 26-14 overall and 15-5 in NSIC action. UMary is now 14-18 overall and 7-10 in the loop.

Game One: UMary 7, Augustana 1
Augustana’s offense struggled in game one, with the Marauders holding the lead throughout the matchup. UMary got off to a quick start, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Augustana scored its lone run of the game in the top of the second inning.

Banowetz went 2-for-3 at the plate while Dirksen recorded a double in the seven-inning contest.

Ryan Clementi was the starting pitcher for AU, spending one inning on the mound. Ryan Jares took over for Clementi in the second inning and tossed two innings, striking out two batters. Entering the game in the fourth inning, Aidan Torpey pitched three innings, logging six strikeouts. 

Game Two: Augustana 11, UMary 8
The Vikings were the first team to score in game two of the doubleheader, leading 3-1 after the first inning of action. On the first pitch of the game, Trevor Winterstein blasted one over the fence in right center for the first run of the contest. A single from Luke Ballweg sent in Nick Banowetz and Drey Dirksen scored on a wild pitch to bring the score to 3-0 following the top of the inning. 

A sacrifice fly from the Marauders scored a single run in the bottom of the first inning.

Augustana claimed a 7-1 lead in the second inning when Banowetz plated Maddux Baggs and Parker Mooney with a double to the left side. Two more runs were added when Hines sent Winterstein and Banowetz home.

In the third inning, the Marauders scored another run on a sacrifice fly to center field.

The fourth inning saw a total of five runs scored between both teams. Baggs scored on a sacrifice fly from Banowetz to push the Vikings ahead 8-2. UMary tallied four runs to cut AU’s lead to 8-6.

A single from Parker Mooney in the fifth inning pushed Augustana to a 10-6 lead after Ballweg and Meiners scored.

The Marauders plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth frame, chopping at the Viking’s lead. 

Jason Axelberg tallied another run for Augustana in the seventh, giving AU the 11-8 lead.

The Marauders put a threat together in the bottom of the eighth inning as they put runners on first and second with two outs. With Daniel Martin batting, he lifted a high fly ball to right field that appeared to go over the fence to tie the game, however, Trevor Winterstein had his glove go over the fence, make the catch and ending the inning. 

Banowetz went 2-for-3 at the plate with one double. Hines logged two hits and a double while Winterstein saw the lone Vikings homer of the series in game two. 

Starting game two on the hill for the Vikings was Tom Sun. Sun tossed 2.2 innings and struck out one batter. Kai Taylor, Ethan Cole, Ashton Michek, Drey Dirksen and Adam Diedrich also spent time on the mound for Augustana while Cole led with two strikeouts. Dirksen, who started the game at catcher for the Vikings, earned the win in the matchup while Diedrich recorded his sixth save of the season. Dirksen’s victory is the first of his career while he is believed to be the first catcher in Division II history to pitch and catch in the same at-bat. 

Up Next
The Vikings travel to Mankato, Minnesota, this weekend for a three-game series with the Minnesota State Mavericks. The series has been adjusted by a day and  begins on Friday with a doubleheader slated for 1:30 p.m. Saturday is slated for a noon first pitch.