SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Augustana) — The Augustana baseball team swept a pair of games on Saturday, taking two from Winona State at Ronken Field.
The Vikings are now 22-11 overall and 17-7 in the NSIC while the Warriors fall to 16-17, 12-12.
Game 1: Augustana 9, Winona State 1The Vikings hit around in both the fourth and fifth innings to help power them to a win in game one. Jack Hines had three hits while Ragan Pinnow, Sam Siegel, Ryan Clementi and Joe Kolbeck had a pair.
Ashton Michek was locked in for game one, striking out six while allowing just one run on three hits in six innings. Maddox Foss entered for the seventh inning, striking out one in a scoreless frame.
The Warriors struck first with a double and single to lead off the second inning and made it 1-0. A five-run fourth inning catapulted the Vikings in front. Hines opened the frame with an infield single and advanced on a throwing error. On the next pitch, Pinnow singled to left to bring Hines home and even the scoring.
A dropped fly ball in the next at bat allowed Koskie to reach and move Pinnow to second. Axelberg moved both into scoring position with a sac bunt and Siegel drove a single to center to bring both in and give AU a 3-1 lead.
Clementi added a single of his own and Kolbeck smashed a single through the right side to load the bases. Winterstein dug in and sent a single right back up the middle, scoring a pair and making it 5-1 AU.
After a shutdown inning from Michek, the Vikings sent 10 more to the plate in the fifth. Pinnow hit a leadoff home run and Koskie drew a walk. After he stole second, Axelberg reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners.
With one out, Clementi sent one off the left field wall for a double to drive in Koskie. Kolbeck walked to load the bases and then the assembly line moved twice with two outs. Carter Heinsch started it with a bases loaded walk and Hines had an infield single to bring the game to its final score.
Game 2: Augustana 7, Winona State 5Heinsch knocked around three hits while Siegel added a pair in the game two win. Heinsch added two RBI, two runs scored and a steal while Siegel scored twice and drove in one.
J.D. Hennen allowed just two hits and two runs, one earned, while striking out 13 in six innings of action. Jack Sutton struck out two in a scoreless seventh inning, Will Henry, Caden Oberbroekling and Aidan Torpey threw the eighth and Kai Taylor struck out a pair in a scoreless ninth.
The Vikings struck for a pair of runs in the first inning for an early lead. Winterstein walked, marking the eighth straight game he has led off on base, and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt.
Heinsch drilled a triple to center, allowing Winterstein to score and starting the scoring. Pinnow got hit with a pitch with one out and Nate Soelter walked to load the bases. Siegel was then plunked, bringing in Heinsch to give AU a 2-0 lead.
In the fourth, Siegel led off with a double and Clementi legged out an infield single to put runners on the corners. Lind reached when an errant throw on a sac bunt took the first baseman off the bag, bringing in Siegel.
With two outs and two in scoring position, Heinsch drove a single to center, scoring Winterstein and Clementi to make it 5-0. After Heinsch stole second, Hines singled to left field, a ball that snaked away from the left fielder, allowing Heinsch to score and give the Vikings a 6-0 advantage.
The Warriors scored a pair of runs in the sixth and loaded the bases in the seventh, but Sutton shut the door with a strikeout to keep the Vikings ahead by four runs. The Vikings were unable to stop a bases loaded threat in the eighth, giving up three runs to bring the Warriors within 6-5. Kolbeck added a run in the bottom of the eighth on a safety squeeze and Taylor zoomed through the ninth to finish the win.
The two teams will meet Sunday afternoon for a doubleheader starting at noon at Ronken Field.
