Box Score

DECATUR, Ill.— Augustana started fast Tuesday, scoring three runs in the first two innings, but was shut out over the final seven, as Millikin rallied for an 8-3 victory at Sunnyside Park. The Vikings fell to 23-13 on the year and 11-10 in the CCIW, while the Big Blue improved to 17-20 overall and 7-16 in the league.
 
Senior Carter Amundsen (Sheboygan South HS, Sheboygan, Wis.) led off the game by reaching on an error and he moved to third on a Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) sacrifice. Senior John Moraski (Kewanee HS, Kewanee, Ill.) walked and stole second and junior Gunnar Haskins (Alleman HS, Moline, Ill.) followed with a single through the middle, scoring both runners for a 2-0 Augustana lead. Millikin starter Derek Kortemeier retired the next two batters to avoid further damage.
 
The hosts tied it off Viking starter Vinny Rotunno (Lake s HS, Lindenhurst, Ill.) in the bottom half. Anthony Bryan beat out an infield hit with one out and came around to score on Jake Drada's double to right center. Drada scored the tying run on Jon Walters' RBI single to center.
 
Jake Huber (Lockport HS, Homer Gen, Ill.) led off the top of the second with a double to right. Senior Tyler Nunez (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) bunted him to third and he scored the go-ahead run when senior Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Englewood, Colo.) reached on an error. Kortemeier eventually stranded runners at second and third to keep it 3-2 Augustana.
 
Gabe Soria's leadoff walk in  the bottom of the second sparked a two-run inning as the Big Blue jumped in front. Devin Crews doubled in Soria and tallied the go-ahead run on Drada's RBI single to left center.
 
Kortemeier missed out on a chance for the win when he ran into trouble in the fifth and left in favor of Jared Buzan. Buzan coaxed a Huber flyout to end the inning and maintain Millikin's 4-3 advantage.
 
While the Big Blue were adding three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth, Buzan was keeping the Vikings off the board. He left runners stranded at second and third in the seventh before Nick Followell relieved him to start the eighth. Followell pitched around a two-out Hallmark single in the eighth and a Moraski double and a walk in the ninth to preserve the victory.
 
Buzan was awarded the win in his first decision of the year. He went 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Rotunno lasted 4 1/3 and suffered the loss, falling to 2-5 on the year. Freshmen John Hayes (Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo.), Sam Cregan (Air Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Alec Michaelson (Willowbrook HS, Lombard, Ill.) combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.
 
Moraski and Hallmark each had a pair of hits for Augustana. Haskins drove in two runs. Crews and Drada each had three hits for Millikin.
 
The Vikings wrap up the regular season with a three-game set versus Carroll at home this weekend. The series opens with a single game on Friday, May 4. First pitch at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.