SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Despite very windy conditions, Augustana got the sweep of Winona State in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday.

The two wins pushed the Vikings winning streak to four games, putting them 13-7 (3-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) on the season. The Warriors dropped to 4-11 (1-2 NSIC) on the year.

GAME ONE
Tyson Gau (2-2) notched his second win of the year in a 9-1 win for Augustana in game one.  Gau went four innings in the seven-inning affair, giving up just one run on three hits. The senior also recorded three strikeouts and walked one batter.

Marcus O'Neill tied his career high in hits by going a perfect 4 for 4 in the 9-1 Viking win. O'Neill also scored three runs and had two RBI.

Tony Viger – who entered Wednesday's doubleheader leading the nation in doubles per game - continued his double streak by picking up his 12th double on the year, and third-straight game with one. Viger finished the game going 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Augustana got nine runs on nine hits in the ballgame, while holding the Warriors to just five hits and one run.

Winona State took an early 1-0 lead to start the game in the top half of the first inning. Brett Young grounded out to first base that scored Joseph Kubera from third base. It would be the only time in the game the Warriors scored.

Vikings finally took control of this game in the bottom of the third, using a four-run outburst to put this one out of reach. Jake Petersen led things off by getting to first base on a throwing error by the third baseman. Zach Dibble was then walked, and Jacob James laid down a sac bunt to advance both men to second and third with one out. O'Neill then drove in Petersen with a single through the left side. Dibble scored then on an error by the shortstop to make it 2-1 Augustana.

Jack Goihl capped of the inning with a two-out single that brought in two runs and made it 4-1.

The Vikings' pitching staff would then hold WSU to just one hit over the final four innings. The tandem of Gau and Michael Letkewicz and Troy Pilkington really had it going for Augustana.

The Vikings pushed its lead to eight in the bottom of the sixth inning, making it 9-1 after Augustana got three runs on two hits. Viger's two-RBI double with one out highlighted the big inning for the Vikings.

Augustana would go on to get the win in the next inning as Pilkington shut down Winona State in the top of the seventh with a 1-2-3 inning.

GAME TWO
The Vikings made it a sweep with a 9-3 win in game two of the twinbill.

Augustana got 14 hits in the victory, just two off its season high.

Cole Jenkins (2-1) picked up the win in a relief appearance after Ryan Hamilton started the contest. Jenkins pitched four innings in the middle part of the game. The Sartell, Minn. native gave up four hits and one run on the day, and struck out two batters.

Derek Quame got his fifth season, his third in as many appearances, by pitching the final two innings and holding the Warriors scoreless.

Goihl got his third home run on the year with a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning. The junior from Robbinsdale, Minn. went 3 for 3 in the game with two RBI and scored three runs for the Vikings.

The Warriors again took an early lead in the game, going up 2-0 heading into the bottom of the second after Jordan Plamann scored Travis Evanson on the ground out to Dibble.

Augustana took the lead in the bottom of the fourth after Goihl's bomb to right field made it 3-2 in favor of the Vikings. From there on out, it was all Augustana.

The Vikings seized control in the bottom of the eighth inning, using a five-run explosion to make it 9-3, giving Augustana the insurance runs it needed to close this game out. O'Neill capped off the big inning with a RBI single to second base that scored Petersen from third base.

Quame gave up a leadoff single to start the top of the ninth, but then induced a 4-6-3 double play to clear the bases. The Eagle Lake, Minn. native closed it out one batter later, inducing the ground out short to seal the victory.

 

Marcus O'Neill, Augustana Vikings baseball
Augustana College
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Courtesy:  Augustana College

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