MOLINE, Ill. – Augustana and Elmhurst pounded out 62 hits and scored 46 runs Wednesday in a doubleheader split at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field. The Vikings took the first game 15-3, while the Bluejays claimed the nightcap 16-12. Coach Greg Wallace's club moved to 24-12-1 on the season and 13-8 in the CCIW and Elmhurst to 10-25 and 4-17, respectively.

 

The regular season is scheduled to wrap up with a three-game set at Carroll this weekend.
 
AUGUSTANA 15, ELMHURST 3
 
The hosts scored four runs in the first and third innings and six in the fourth on their way to winning the opener.
 
Senior Gunnar Haskins (Alleman HS, Moline, Ill.) had a two-run single in the first and classmate Tyler Nunez (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) a two-run double in the third. In the fourth, Nunez blasted a two-run homer and senior Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) and freshman Matt Helms (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) each singled in two runs.
 
Augustana tallied its final run on junior Jake Huber's (Lockport HS, Homer Glen, Ill.) RBI single in the fifth.
 
Viking starter Chris Refka (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) cruised through six innings, scattering eight hits and allowing two runs, while not issuing a walk. He earned the win to improve to 5-1 on the year. Sophomore Alec Michaelson (Willowbrook HS, Lombard, Ill.) threw the final frame of the game, shortened to seven innings by the 10-run rule.
 
Bluejay starter Karson Thomas (0-2) suffered the loss.
 
Six of Wallace's bunch had multi-hit games. Nunez finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored and four knocked in. Sophomore Mitchell Owens (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and freshman Drew Davis (Illini Bluffs HS, Mapleton, Ill.) 3-for-5 with two runs. Haskins was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three driven in. Senior Ryan Grannemann (McHenry West HS, McHenry, Ill.) and Huber were both 2-for-4. Grannemann scored twice and Huber drove in a pair.
 
ELMHURST 16, AUGUSTANA 12
 
Augustana rallied for seven runs in the seventh inning of game two, but came up short in its comeback bid.
 
Elmhurst jumped on top with four first-inning runs, knocking out Viking starter Sam Cregan (Air Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.) in the process. The Bluejays added two in the second and five in the third to lead 11-3.
 
Nick Mosele (University HS, Bloomington, Ill.) had an RBI single in a three-run Augustana second.
 
Trailing 15-4, Augustana plated seven in the seventh. Kairis had a two-run single and Grannemann doubled in the final run to pull the Vikings to within 15-11.
 
Mosele's RBI single in the eighth got the hosts within three, but Elmhurst answered with a run in the top of the ninth and Alec Berry set Augustana down in order in the bottom half to earn his fourth save.
 
Bluejay reliever Christian Ebeling (1-1) got the win, while Cregan took his second loss in six decisions this year.
 
Kairis and Mosele each finished 4-for-5 at the plate. Kairis knocked in two runs and Mosele three. Owens and Helms each went 2-for-3 and scored twice.