Vikings salvage split in opening doubleheader at UMary

Yahoo

06-04-2025

BISMARCK, N.D. (Augustana) – The Augustana baseball team split with UMary, losing 2-0 before a 5-3 victory on Saturday afternoon at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark.
The split pushes Augustana to 17-10 overall and 12-6 in the NSIC while the Marauders are now 13-14 and 9-9 in the NSIC.
Game 1: UMary 2, Augustana 0The Vikings scattered five hits while being shutout for the second time this season. Jason Axelberg went 2 for 3 while Trevor Winterstein, Jack Hines and Jake Lundquist each had a hit.
Ashton Michek threw all six innings, allowing a pair of runs on three hits and four walks while striking out seven.
In four of the first six innings, Augustana was able to get a runner in scoring position, with three of those instances coming in the first four innings with less than two outs. The Vikings were unable to scrape a run across, going 0-7 with two outs and 0-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Marauders were able to get a pair in the third. A leadoff triple came home on a groundout and UMary added another with a single, double and wild pitch to round out the scoring.
Game 2: Augustana 5, UMary 3Five Vikings had multi-hit games while AU totaled 15 in the game. Hines and Axelberg each had three hits while Hines added two runs scored and two RBI and Axelberg had one of each. Both hit a home run while Trevor Winterstein joined them with a round trip, one of two hits he recorded in the game.
J.D. Hennen allowed five hits and three runs while striking out six in 6 1/3 innings to earn the win. Harry Blum threw the final 2 2/3, allowing three hits without giving up a run to earn a save.
Winterstein delivered a leadoff single for the second game in a row before Jack Hines lifted a two-run blast on a full count to give the Vikings an early 2-0 lead.
After a scoreless second inning, Jason Axelberg got around on a 1-2 pitch with one out, sending a no-doubter to left for his 10th home run of the season to give AU a 3-0 advantage.
UMary was able to score a run on a double play in the bottom of the fourth to get within 3-1. Winterstein wasted little time to lead off the fifth, sending a home run to right center, putting AU back in front by three runs at 4-1.
A charge from the home team came in the bottom of the seventh inning to bring UMary within a run after a wild pitch and sac fly helped them manufacture runs. Blum entered with one out in the inning, forcing the sac fly before Ryan Clementi threw out a runner trying to advance on a dirt ball to keep AU in front.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, The Marauders reached on a one out single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. The stoic Blum got ahead with a first-pitch strike to the next batter before forcing a double play to hold onto the lead.
Blum received insurance in the top of the ninth inning to give him cushion. Hines battled with two strikes before tallying a single to left to lead off the frame and, with one out, Nate Soelter doubled to drive Hines home and make it 5-3.
The Marauders strung together a two-out rally, loading the bases before a bang-bang play at first went the way of the Vikings to end the game.
The two teams will meet for a doubleheader Sunday, starting at noon in Bismarck, N.D.
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