ST. LOUIS, Mo.  – Coach Greg Wallace's freshman battery of Harrison Boushele (Grandview HS, Aurora, Colo.) and Alex Simon (Hinsdale Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) came up big for Augustana on Saturday, playing key roles as the Vikings defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 10-6 in a game played at Fontbonne University. The win lifted Wallace's bunch to 2-0 on the season, while NWU was playing its season opener.
 
Simon got things started for Augustana with a one-out single in the top of the first. Kyle Wise (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) singled him to third and moved to second on the throw. Matt Helms (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) gave the Vikings the lead with an RBI single, then executed a double steal with Wise, who scored to make it 2-0 after a half-inning.
 
Boushele gave up a one-out single in the bottom half, but Simon helped him out by cutting down Derek Kolbush attempting to steal. The freshman right-hander faced the minimum through three innings, benefitting from a double play in the second and setting the Prairie Wolves down in order in the third.
 
The Vikings added a run in the top of the third on Jacob Barker's (Windsor HS, Severance, Colo.) leadoff double and an RBI groundout by Helms. Simon's RBI single in the fourth plated Zachary Vrbancic (Stagg HS, Palos Hills, Ill.) to make it 4-0.
 
NWU cut the deficit in half with a pair in the bottom of the fourth. John Haimowitz had an RBI single and Kaleb Knox a sacrifice fly in the frame.
 
Wise singled in Simon in the top of sixth to give Boushele a 5-2 lead, but the Prairie Wolves knocked the freshman put of the box in the bottom half. After three straight hits produced two runs, Wallace called on Alec Michaelson (Willowbrook HS, Lombard, Ill.) out of the pen. The senior right-hander struck out the side to maintain a 5-4 advantage.
 
After stranding two runners in the seventh, Augustana put up five runs in the eighth with some help from NWU hurlers. A walk and two hit batters loaded the bases for Wise, who delivered a two-run double and one out later, senior Griffen Pschigoda (Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Wheaton, Ill.) launched a three-run homer to make it 10-4.
 
Michaelson finished a strong three-inning stint in the eighth before leaving in favor of Jacob Irwin (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) to start the ninth. After Irwin walked three and fanned one, senior closer John Hayes (Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo.) came on in relief. NWU managed a pair of sacrifice flies before Hayes retired Knox to end the game.
 
Boushele (1-0) earned the win in his collegiate debut. He surrendered eight hits and four runs in five-plus innings, walking none and fanning six. Michaelson fanned six as well in his three innings. Simon and Wise each went 3-for-5 at the plate. The freshman catcher scored three times and drove in a run, while the junior first baseman scored twice and knocked in three.
 
Prairie Wolves' starter Noah Unger went four innings and suffered the loss.