Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Augustana swept Rockford by scores of 9-2 and 12-3 on Saturday, March 26 to move its record to 11-5 on the season. The non-conference double header was played at Rivets Park in Rockford, Illinois.
 
In the first game the Vikings got a strong pitching performance from senior Walter White (East Peoria HS, East Peoria, Ill.) and a 13-hit attack on offense to lead the way. The nightcap featured Augustana scoring 11 runs in the final four innings to break open a close game to the tune of a 12-3 victory.
 
Augustana will be in action again on Tuesday, March 29 in a non-conference game against Aurora. The game has been moved to Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa because of storm damage at the Vikings' Swanson-Brunner Stadium in Moline. First pitch for the Aurora contest is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
GAME 1
 
Augustana rode the dominating pitching performance of senior Walter White (East Peoria HS, East Peoria, Ill.) and a 13-hit attack on offense to pick up a 9-1 win over Rockford in the first game of a non-conference double header on Saturday, March 26 at Rivets Stadium in Rockford, Illinois. White was in control the whole way, giving up five hits while striking out 13 as he pushed his record to 3-1 on the season.
 
He gave up his only two runs in the sixth inning on three hits but retired the Regents in order in the seventh and eighth before giving way to freshman Mike Powers (Benet Academy, Westmont, Ill.) in the ninth. Powers struck out two as he closed out the game.
 
The Vikings jumped on Rockford starter David Camacho for two runs in the first inning thanks to a two-run home run off the bat of senior catcher John Swiderski (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.). In the third Augustana tacked two more runs on the board thanks to an RBI double by senior Trace Gingerich (Sherrard HS, Sherrard, Ill.) and a run-scoring ground ball from junior Mitch Ruh (Hinckley-Big Rock HS, Hinckley, Ill.).
 
In the seventh Ruh drove in two runs with a bases loaded single and sophomore Matt Loeffl (Grayslake HS, Grayslake, Ill.) knocked in two with two out single to help put the game out of reach.
 
Swiderski led the offense with three hits in five at-bats while scoring three runs and knocking in two. Ruh had three RBI and scored a run while Loeffl had two hits and three RBI. Sophomore Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Englewood, Colo.) picked up two hits.
 
Augustana moved to 10-5 with the victory.
 
GAME 2
 
After trailing 2-1 through five innings, the Vikings' offense woke up and scored 11 runs in the last four innings to collect a 12-3 win. Senior Zach Morgenstern (Peoria Notre Dame HS, East Peoria, Ill.) was the victor on the mound. He worked the first four innings and gave up four hits and struck out seven while notching his fourth win of the season against one defeat.
 
Augustana scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning with Morgenstern still the pitcher of record. The final four innings were split evenly among senior Chris Sauer (Rock Canyon HS, Littleton, Colo.), sophomore Mitch Malone (Minooka HS, Minooka, Ill.), sophomore Brad Dubow (Naperville Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) and junior Nick Refka (Fremd HS, Palatine, Ill.). Those four hurlers worked a total of four innings and gave up just one run on one hit and struck out six.
 
Trailing 2-1 heading into the top of the sixth, senior Alex Fluehr (Harlem HS, Loves Park, Ill.) led off with a single. Freshman Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) followed with a single to push Fluehr to second. Senior Nathan Gray (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) put down a sacrifice bunt attempt that was thrown away, which allowed Fluehr to score with the tying run while Kairis went to third and Gray wound up on second. Senior John Swiderski (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) grounded out to score Kairis. Gray stole third and came home on Trace Gingerich's (Sherrard HS, Sherrard, Ill.) ground out.
 
Ahead 4-2, the Vikings kept the pressure on, scoring a single run in the seventh and then putting three on the board in the eighth and four in the ninth.
 
Kairis led the offense with three hits, three runs-batted-in and one run scored. He was the lone Augustana player in the game with multiple hits. However, Gray, sophomore Matt Loeffl (Grayslake Central HS, Grayslake, Ill.), freshman Joe Rimac (Niles Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) and sophomore Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Englewood, Colo.) all scored two runs.