Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Junior Tyler Nunez (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the 11th inning Friday to lift 20th-ranked Augustana to its sixth consecutive victory, 5-4 over Edgewood at Player Development Complex. Senior Nick Refka (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) threw 4 1/3 no-hit innings out of the bullpen to pick up the win. The Vikings improved to 10-1 on the season, while the Eagles lost for just the second time in eight outings this year.
 
Alex Meister came on to start the 11th after a 10-inning stint by Edgewood starter Steve Gavin. Nunez greeted Meister with a single to right and moved to second on a wild pitch. Junior Carter Amundsen (Sheboygan South HS, Sheboygan, Wis.) laid down a bunt and when the Eagles' throw got away, Nunez came around to score the game-winner.
 
Augustana touched Gavin for a run in the first and the Eagles answered with two off Brad Dubow (Naperville Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) in the top of the second. Sophomore Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) led off with a walk and eventually scored on John Moraski's (Kewanee HS, Kewanee, Ill.) two-out single to left. Edgewood's runs came on an RBI fielder's choice and a throwing error.
 
After leaving the bases loaded in the fourth, the Vikings retook the lead with two runs in the fifth. Amundsen and senior Mitchel Ruh (Hinckley-Big Rock HS, Big Rock, Ill.) started the inning with back-to-back singles to center. A throwing error on Ruh's ball allowed the runners to move to second and third. Gavin looked like he might escape when he retired the next two batters, but junior Matt Loeffl (Grayslake Central HS, Grayslake, Ill.) delivered a two-out, two-run single to right for a 3-2 Augustana lead.
 
The Eagles went back up with two in the top of the seventh and the Vikings answered with one in the bottom half to tie it. Jonathan Roehler's two-run single to center gave Edgewood back the lead and ended Dubow's day after 6 2/3 innings. Refka came on and fanned cleanup hitter Garrett Bogucki to end the inning. Loeffl knocked in the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. His sacrifice fly to right plated Amundsen with an unearned run.
 
Gavin and Refka cruised through the eighth, ninth and 10th innings. Moraski's two-out single to center in the ninth was the only baserunner allowed by either pitcher in those three frames.
 
After retiring the first 12 batters he faced, Refka allowed his only baserunner in the top of the 11th when he hit Callen Gavic with two outs. Unfazed, he fanned Nik Visone to end the inning and set up Augustana to win it in the bottom half.
 
Refka (2-0) fanned five in 4 1/3 nearly-perfect innings. Meister took the loss. Dubow struck out 11 Eagles in 6 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs. Moraski's three hits paced the offense. Nunez had two knocks, while Loeffl drove in three runs.
 
Coach Greg Wallace's club is back in action on Saturday, March 18, facing Plymouth State. First pitch at Terry Park is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT.