WAYNE, NE (AUGUSTANA) — The Augustana baseball team claimed another NSIC series win at Wayne State Wednesday. Augustana topped the home team 4-0 in game one and followed with a 14-3 game two victory. The Vikings improve to 34-16 overall and 23-7 in NSIC play. The Wildcats drop to 20-21 overall and 14-13 in the loop.
Augustana is one of 10 teams “under consideration” for NCAA Postseason from the Central Region, announced Wednesday.
Game One: Augustana 4, Wayne State 0
The Vikings captured a shutout victory in game one of the series, holding the Wildcats to just four hits through seven innings. Augustana started the scoring in the second inning when Drey Dirksen hit a solo homer to left field.
In the third inning, the Vikings added a run when Trevor Winterstein stole second, allowing Luke Ballweg to score on the throw.
A throwing error by the Wayne State catcher sent Nick Banowetz home, pushing Augustana’s lead to 3-0 in the fifth frame.
The final run of the game was scored when Banowetz hit a single to right field that plated Jason Axelberg.
Banowetz went 2-for-3 at the plate. Winterstein led the lineup with two stolen bases while Axelberg and Banowetz recorded one each.
Caleb Kranz got the start on the mound for Augustana, tossing five innings and striking out four batters. Aidan Torpey entered the game in the sixth inning and logged one strikeout.
Game Two: Augustana 14, Wayne State 3
Augustana opened the gates and scored at least one run in six of the seven innings. The Vikings cut the game short, leading by 11 runs through seven innings of play.
AU put up seven runs in the first inning to take a commanding lead. Winterstein scored AU’s first run, reaching home on a double hit by Parker Mooney. Jack Hines brought Mooney home with a single up the middle on the next play.
A two-run homer from Tate Meiners scored Hines and pushed Augustana ahead 4-0. Shortly after, Joshua Koskie tripled to right center, plating Banowetz and Ragan Pinnow. A sacrifice fly from Axelberg brought in Koskie to end the first frame scoring.
Augustana plated two more runs in the second inning. Dirksen hit his second home run of the series to bring home Hines.
In the third frame, Mooney hit a sacrifice fly that scored Axelberg and kept the scoring streak alive.
Banowetz blasted the ball over the fence in left center, marking his first homer of the season and pushing Augustana to a 11-0 lead.
Two runs were scored in the fifth inning following a triple from Winterstein that scored Axelberg and a Jack Sutton single that sent Winterstein home.
The Wildcats scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth frame.
Augustana responded with one run in the sixth when Nick Kemper plated Jacob Ornelles with a double to left center.
Wayne State put two more runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth but it wasn’t enough to keep the Vikings from ending the game in seven innings.
At the plate, Winterstein and Hines went 3-for-3 with two runs apiece. In total, Augustana logged 15 hits, three home runs, three triples and two doubles.
Aidan Torpey started game two on the mound for AU, pitching two innings and recording two strikeouts. A total of six Vikings spent time on the mound for Augustana including J.D. Hennen, Jason Fink, Ryan Clementi, Jason Axelberg and Gabe Pilla. Hennen earned the win in the matchup and became 1-0 this season.
Up Next The Vikings travel to St. Paul, Minnesota, for a three-game series against Concordia-St. Paul. The series begins with a Saturday doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m.
