WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Ryan Grannemann (McHenry West HS, McHenry, Ill.) and Nick Mosele (University HS, Bloomington, Ill.) had big days at the plate Wednesday and freshman Bryson Prusator (Mendota HS, Mendota, Ill.) finished up with 4 2/3 strong innings of relief, as Augustana downed Bates 11-8 at Chain of Lakes Park. Coach Greg Wallace's Vikings improved to 2-0 on the season, while the Bobcats dropped to 0-2.

 

After Bates plated a run to make it 8-8 after eight innings, Augustana answered with three in the top of the ninth. Tyler Nunez (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) drew a leadoff walk and Gunnar Haskins (Alleman HS, Moline, Ill.) got plunked while attempting to sacrifice. Jake Huber (Lockport HS, Homer Glen, Ill.) walked to load the bases for Granneman, who was already 4-for-4 with a homer on the day. The senior catcher singled to center, driving in two runs for a 10-8 Viking lead. One out later, Sam Beyer (Legend HS, Parker, Colo.) squeezed in Huber with another insurance run.
 
Prusator (1-0) pitched around a pair of Bates singles in the bottom of the ninth to earn the win in his first collegiate appearance.
 
Augustana jumped on top early with three in the first and two in the second off Bobcat starter Brendan Smith.
 
Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) and Nunez started the game with consecutive singles. A Haskins ground out and a Huber sacrifice fly plated the Vikings' first two runs and Grannemann blasted a solo homer to left to make it 3-0.
 
After Bates touched Augustana starter Connor Berek (Riverside-Brookfield HS, Brookfield, Ill.) for a run in the bottom of the first, the Vikings added a pair in the top of the second. Beyer led off with a bunt single and Mosele homered one out later to give his club a 5-1 advantage.
 
The Bobcats got to Berek for six runs in the third. Jon Lindgren's two-run single put his team on top 6-5 and Jack Arend added an RBI base hit to make it 7-5 Bates after three.
 
Jared Pantalony came out of the Bobcat bullpen to start the fourth and blanked the Vikings for two innings. However, in the sixth, Augustana got to him for three runs. Grannemann led off with a double and moved to third on a Nick Kirk (Cary-Grove HS, Cary, Ill.) single. Beyer singled in Grannemann,  Mosele plated Kirk with a fielder's choice grounder and Beyer scored on a Bates error to give the Vikings an 8-7 lead after 5½.
 
A Christian Beal double and Dan Trulli's RBI single in the bottom of the eight tied it at 8-8.
 
Grannemann finished the day 5-for-5 with two runs scored and two driven in. Mosele was 3-for-5 with one scored and three knocked in. Each had a double and a homer. Beyer and Nunez had two hits apiece. Prusator scattered six hits in 4 2/3 innings of relief. He walked none and fanned one.
 
Miles Michaud suffered the loss for the Bobcats, who banged out 19 hits, including three each by Justin White, Lindgren and Pat Beaton.
 
The teams are scheduled to play the third of their four-game series on Thursday, February 21 at 10:00 a.m. CST.