Box Score

MOLINE, Ill. – Augustana rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday to come from behind for a 10-7 win over Elmhurst at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field. The Vikings, who split a doubleheader with the Bluejays last week, improved to 17-9 overall and 6-3 in the CCIW. Elmhurst fell to 14-11 on the season and 3-6 in the league.
 
After surrendering five runs in the top of the eighth, Augustana trailed 7-6 heading to the bottom half. Senior shortstop Alex Fluehr (Harlem HS, Loves Park, Ill.) led off and reached on an error. Bluejay reliever Nick Drago looked to be in good shape when he got a strikeout and then a lineout to third. However, on Nathan Gray's (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) liner, Elmhurst threw the ball away attempting to double Fluehr off at first. The Viking runner ended up at third base and—after John Swiderski (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) was hit by a pitch—came home with the tying run on a wild pitch. Senior Trace Gingerich (Sherrard HS, Sherrard, Ill.) then reached on an error that allowed Swiderski to score the go-ahead run.
 
The Bluejays made a pitching change, but another hit batter, walk, wild pitch and error resulted two more Augustana runs as the hosts scored four in the frame without the benefit of a base hit. Junior reliever Casey Weir (Warren HS, Wadsworth, Ill.), who had come on in the eighth, set Elmhurst down in the top of the ninth to preserve the victory.
 
After leaving runners at first and third in each of the first two innings, the Vikings took the lead with five runs in the third. Gray led off with a walk and stole second and third before scoring the game's first run on a two-run single by Gingerich. A pair of Bluejay errors aided the hosts in adding three more runs in the inning.
 
Elmhurst touched Augustana starter Kyle McGinley (Mullen HS, Denver, Colo.) for a run in the fourth on a Matt Wilson RBI double. The Vikings answered in the fifth when junior Cayton Wallace (Assumption HS, Rock Island, Ill.) plated sophomore Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Englewood, Colo.) with a two-bagger.
 
McGinley exited after six innings, allowing just one run on four hits while fanning 12.
 
The Bluejays tallied a run in the seventh to make it 6-2 and took the lead with five in the eighth. Their big inning could have been bigger, but Weir came out of the pen with one out and runners at second and third and coaxed a fly ball to Carter Amundsen (Sheboygan South HS, Sheboygan, Wis.) in right. The Augustana sophomore made the catch and fired a strike to Swiderski at the plate, cutting down Christian Ott to end the inning.
 
Gingerich paced the Viking offense, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two driven in. Wallace had a pair of hits as well and Swiderski scored twice.
 
Weir (1-0) went an inning and two-thirds and picked up the win. Drago (1-1), who threw three hitless innings of relief, was the tough-luck loser, victimized by three unearned runs.
 
Coach Greg Wallace's club is back in action this weekend in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Augustana and Carthage open a three-game set with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 16.