BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Augustana's game-tying, three-run rally in the top of the ninth inning went for naught Wednesday, as Illinois Wesleyan pushed across a run in the bottom half to defeat the Vikings 6-5 at Horenberger Field. Augustana dropped to 22-9-1 on the season and 11-5 in the CCIW, while the Titans improved to 15-15 overall and 8-8 in the league.
Senior catcher Ryan Grannemann went
2-for-4 with two RBI Wednesday, but
Augustana dropped a 6-5 decision to
Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Illinois.
IWU led 5-2 going to the top of the ninth, when
Sam Beyer (Legend HS, Parker, Colo.) touched reliever Matt Blaney for a leadoff single to left.
Drew Davis (Illini Bluffs HS, Mapleton, Ill.) followed with a walk and one out later,
Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) singled to right, loading the bases. Casey Becker came out of the Titan pen and
Tyler Nunez (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) greeted him with an RBI single. With two outs,
Ryan Grannemann (McHenry West HS, McHenry, Ill.) singled to center, scoring Davis and Kairis to tie the contest at 5-5.
Viking closer
John Hayes (Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo.) came on in the bottom of the ninth, but after getting the first out, he surrendered a Garrett Shea double to center. Evan Ranneklev followed with a double to left, plating pinch-runner Jeran Simpson with the game-winner.
The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Stephen Billington scored on a double-play grounder and Augustana answered with a run in the top of the fourth on
Gunnar Haskins' (Alleman HS, Moline, Ill.) two-out solo homer to right.
IWU got to starter
Chris Refka (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) for two runs each in the fifth and sixth. Shea's two-run single was the big hit in the fifth.
Davis led off the top of the seventh with a single to left and eventually scored on a double play grounder to cut the deficit to 5-2.
Kairis went 3-for-4 to pace the Vikings' offense and Grannemann finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Davis scored twice. Shea had four hits and Dalton Fletcher three for the Titans.
Hayes, Augustana's fourth pitcher, suffered his second loss in seven decisions this year. IWU's fifth hurler, Quinn Gudaitis (5-1) got the win. Titan starter Nick Brune gave up five hits and two runs in seven innings.
Next up for the Vikings is a twin bill versus North Central on Saturday, April 27. First pitch at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
