Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Augustana rode a four-run fourth inning to a 7-5 win over Wisconsin-Platteville Saturday at Terry Park. Coach Greg Wallace's Vikings improved to 9-4 on the season, while the Pioneers dropped to 4-2. Augustana finishes its second swing through Florida on Sunday, March 20, taking on Amherst at 10:00 a.m.
 
With the game tied 1-1, senior Alex Fluehr (Harlem HS, Loves Park, Ill.) and freshman Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) delivered consecutive one-out triples to right center in the bottom of the fourth and the Vikings led 2-1. Senior Nathan Gary (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) plated Kairis with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. Three more singles and a Platteville error produced two more runs in the frame and Augustana led 5-1 after four.
 
Colin Deboer's  two-run single pulled the Pioneers to within 5-3 in the fifth and the Vikings answered with a run in the bottom half when Gray singled in Kairis.
 
Augustana starter Chris Sauer (Rock Canyon HS, Littleton, Colo.) worked into the seventh before exiting in favor of sophomore Mitch Malone (Minooka HS, Minooka, Ill.) after yielding a single and walk with one out. Evan Greco's sacrifice fly eventually made it 6-4.
 
Augustana plated one in the bottom of the seventh and UWP one in the top of the eighth, but junior Nick Refka (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) came out of the Viking pen and coaxed double play grounders in both the eighth and ninth innings to earn his second save of the season.
 
Gray and senior John Swiderski (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) led an 11-hit Augustana attack with three knocks each. Fluehr had two hits and two RBI and Gray drove in two as well. Kairis and sophomore Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Englewood, Colo.) each scored twice.
 
Sauer went 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and five walks. He fanned a half dozen Pioneers and improved to 2-1 with the win. UWP starter Austin Daniels (1-1) suffered the loss.