Box Score

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Aurora used a three-run sixth inning to erase a 3-1 Augustana lead and defeat the Vikings 4-3 at Modern Woodmen Park Tuesday night. The game was played in Davenport due to storm damage at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field. Augustana dropped to 11-6 on the year, while the Spartans evened their season mark at 9-9.
 
Viking starter Chris Sauer (Rock Canyon HS, Littleton, Colo.) exited after five innings leading 3-1, but Aurora took the lead with a three-spot in the top of the sixth. Nick Turner greeted reliever Darwin Townsend (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) with a leadoff single to center. Adam Lipscomb followed with a single to left and a fielder's choice grounder which failed to yield an out loaded the bases. Cale Sparks was hit by a pitch, forcing in one run and Harry Vickers walked to push across another and tie the game at 3-3. After Casey Weir (Warren HS, Gurnee, Ill.) fanned Jeff LaPage, Ryan Rybakowski singled in the go-ahead run. Weir then got Jeffrey Mayes to line into an inning-ending double play.
 
Augustana threatened with three singles in the bottom of the seventh. However, the Vikings had the potential tying run cut down in a rundown between third and home and eventually left runners stranded at first and second. Pinch hitter Peter Doughty (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) drew a leadoff walk in the ninth, but pinch runner Jeff Prior (Rock Canyon HS, Lone Tree, Colo.) was left stranded.
 
The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the first. Sophomore Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Englewood, Colo.) touched Tyler Findlay for a one-out double down the right field line and came around to score on an Aurora error.
 
Augustana added two in the third to go up 3-0. Senior Alex Fluehr (Harlem HS, Loves Park, Ill.) drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a Hallmark ground out. Senior John Swiderski (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) added an RBI single which plated freshman Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.), who had also reached on a single.
 
The Spartans got their lone run off Sauer on an RBI single by Mayes in the fifth. The Viking lefty gave up three hits in five innings, walking two and fanning four. Townsend (0-1) took the loss. Findlay earned his first win in three decisions and Jeff Woods worked the ninth inning to post his third save of the year.
 
Hallmark, Kairis and junior Mitchel Ruh (Hinckley-Big Rock HS, Big Rock, Ill.) each had two hits for Augustana.
 
The Vikings open CCIW play this weekend, hosting North Central in a doubleheader at Swanson/Brunner on Saturday, April 2 beginning at 1:00 p.m.