Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
The Augustana baseball team ended its home schedule at Ronken Field Wednesday with a doubleheader sweep of Upper Iowa. The Vikings won a 9-8 nail-biter the first game, before using a 10-run inning to take the nightcap.
Augustana (30-22, 17-11 NSIC) rallied late in game one to overcome a three-run deficit. The game was tight throughout, with Upper Iowa (14-29, 9-19 NSIC) scoring one run in the first inning, before a homerun by Nate Baumann tied the game in the bottom of the inning.
The Peacocks scored two more in the second, but the Vikings took the lead again. Nate Hewes homered and Chris Ward was walked. Baumann then hit his second home run in as many innings to give the Vikings the 3-2 lead.
The score was all tied up going into the seventh, when the Peacocks scored one run. They kept the Vikings scoreless in that inning and then scored two runs in the top of the eighth to take an 8-5 lead.
The Vikings wouldn't go away, and Drew Heithoff started the rally off with a single to right field. Deryk Marks followed that with a double down the left field line, scoring Heithoff. With two outs, Gates Cook reached on an error by the shortstop, and a double by Nate Alfson scored Cook and tied the score at 8-8.
Closer Bret Severtson kept the Peacocks scoreless in the top of the ninth, getting a ground out and then allowing the defense a chance to turn the double play for outs two and three.
Hewes led off the ninth inning with a walk. Chris Glynn pinch hit and was also walked, bringing up the top of the Viking order. Baumann's bunt was popped up to the catcher for out one, but Heithoff roped a double to left center to score Hewes and end the game 9-1.
Severtson (4-2) earned the win for the Vikings in 1.2 innings of work. Starter Derek Hansen went 5.1 innings and only allowed two earned runs.
Game two was low scoring until the sixth inning, with the Vikings winning just 2-1. They then blew the game wide open, scoring 10 runs on nine hits.
Cook led off with a single to center and was brought home on a blast over the right field fence by Dan Morrison. Brian Knight singled to center field and moved up a base on the sacrifice bunt by Hewes. A double by Baumann scored Knight.
An RBI single by Heithoff scored Baumann, bringing up Marks, who collected the fifth home run of the day and put Augie up 8-1. Charlie Dubanoski singled and then scored on a double by Cook.
In his second at bat of the inning, Morrison was walked and then scored on the home run by Brian Knight.
Tyler Pierson earned the win, allowing only one earned run in six innings of work.
The win puts Augie just one victory away from tying the school record for wins in a season, set by the 2000 squad.
In addition, with his three home runs today, Baumann is one bomb away from tying the record for home runs in a season. Baumann has 14 while the record of 15 was set by Brad Bornhurst in 2003.
The Vikings will have to now win out the rest of their schedule as well as hope for key losses from conference opponents in order to make it into the NSIC tournament.
“We needed both of these games today and we stepped up,” said Heithoff, who was 6-of-8 on the day. “We need to keep doing out part this weekend against Northern State and hopefully get some help from the other teams in the conference to make the tournament.”
The Vikings will take to the road this weekend for two doubleheaders at Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D. on Saturday and Sunday. Games start at 2 p.m. both days.
