Box Score MOLINE, Ill. – Augustana's bats broke loose for five runs in the fifth inning and starting pitcher Seth Davis (Mullen HS, Aurora, Colo.) went the distance Thursday as the Vikings opened CCIW Tournament play with a 6-3 win over North Central at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field. With the win, Coach Greg Wallace's club advances to Friday's 3:30 p.m. winner's bracket game with a 29-10 record. The Cardinals, now 24-14, will play in the loser's bracket contest at noon.
 
Junior Kyle Lenihan (Romeoville HS, Romeoville, Ill.) led off the bottom of the fifth with Augustana trailing 3-1 and reached on an error. He moved to third on a beautifully executed hit-and-run, with junior designated hitter Jacques Camalick (Hinsdale Central HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) singling to right center. Sophomore Trace Gingerich (Sherrard HS, Sherrard, Ill.) then lined a shot over the head of North Central right fielder Joe Paparone and off the wall for an RBI double. Sophomore Alex Fluehr followed with an RBI single to center, plating Camalick with the tying run. Jacob Van Duyne's (Wilmington HS, Wilmington, Ill.) double to left center and Brandon Jasper's (Central HS, DeWitt, Iowa) ground out each drove in a run and the final run of the inning scored on a bad-hop single by Grant Stewart (Sterling HS, Sterling, Ill.).
 
That was all Davis would need, as the junior left-hander held the Cardinals hitless over the final five innings to earn his fifth win in seven decisions this year.
 
North Central gave Davis trouble early. The first two batters of the game, Sam Carius and Jake Rone walked and singled, respectively, then moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Davis looked like he might get away unscathed after back-to-back strikeouts, but Vito DeRango came through with a two-run single to center and an early Cardinal lead.
 
The first of three North Central errors led to a Viking run in the third. Gingerich reached on the miscue to lead off the frame, moved to second on Fluehr's sacrifice and came around to score on Van Duyne's single to center. The visitors got that one back in the top of the fourth, though. After getting the first two outs, Davis surrendered a single, a walk and an RBI double to left center by Nick DeWolf.
 
From that point on however, Augustana's starter allowed no hits and just a pair of walks over the final 5 1/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and walked four while fanning a season-high 12 in his second complete game of the year.
 
Van Duyne led the Viking offense with two hits and two RBI. Gingerich scored twice.
 
Tournament play continues on Friday, May 9. North Central will face North Park, who dropped an 8-5 decision to Illinois Wesleyan, at noon. Augustana takes on IWU at 3:30 p.m.