Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Augustana pounded a half dozen Illinois Wesleyan pitchers for 16 hits Monday in a 9-5 Viking win at Horenberger Field. The victory gives Coach Greg Wallace's club a record of 24-12 this year and Augustana is alone in second place in the CCIW at 12-6, one game back with three left to play. The host Titans dropped to 19-16 overall and 11-7 in the league.
 
Each team scored a pair in the first. Senior Trace Gingerich (Sherrard HS, Sherrard, Ill.) singled in classmates Nathan Gray (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.), who led off the game with a single, and Jeff Prior (Rock Canyon HS, Lone Tree, Colo.), who was hit by a pitch. Viking starter Chris Sauer (Rock Canyon HS, Littleton, Colo.) walked the first two batters in the bottom half and they both turned into IWU runs.
 
In the top of the second,  Alex Fluehr (Harlem HS, Loves Park, Ill.) drew a one-out walk and Gray followed with another single. Prior chased them both home with a triple down the right field line and the visitors led 4-2 after an inning and a half.
 
Sauer settled in and retired eight straight batters before the Titans threatened in the bottom of the fourth. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, but Sauer coaxed a Stephen Billington chopper to third and sophomore Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Evergreen, Colo.) threw to senior John Swiderski (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) at the plate for the final out.
 
Augustana, which had also left the bases loaded in the fourth, broke through for three runs in the fifth. Sophomore Matt Loeffl (Grayslake Central HS, Grayslake, Ill.) had a leadoff single to center and moved all the way to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Fluehr singled him in and moved to second when Gray was hit by a pitch. Prior sacrificed the runners to second and third and Swiderski delivered them both with a single to make it 7-2. IWU reliever Louis Acklin avoided further damage, fanning the last two batters of the inning with runners at second and third.
 
The Titans got to Sauer for three in the sixth. Mike Plecki's two-run, pinch-hit double was the big hit. Junior Kyle McGinley (Mullen HS, Denver, Colo.) came out of the pen and fanned Gino Cavalieri to end the inning.
 
The Vikings plated an unearned run in the eighth and another in the ninth to account for the final. McGinley finished strong, allowing just one hit and one walk in a 3 1/3-inning stint. He struck out six and earned his first save.  Sauer picked up his fifth win against two losses. IWU starter Nick Brune went 1 1/3 innings and fell to 4-2 with the loss.
 
Gingerich and sophomore Carter Amundsen (Sheboygan South HS, Sheboygan, Wis.) each had three of Augustana's 16 hits. Gray had a pair of hits and scored three times. Prior, Swiderski and Gingerich knocked in two runs apiece.
 
The Vikings host a three-game set with Millikin this weekend to close the regular season. Game one is scheduled for Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 6.