WAUKESHA, Wis. – Behind a seven-run fourth inning, Augustana jumped to a 9-2 lead at Carroll Tuesday and then held off a Pioneer rally to win 9-7 at Frame Park. The Vikings won their sixth in a row to improve to 14-2 overall and 6-2 in the CCIW, while the hosts dropped to 8-7 on the year and 2-5 in the conference.
After Drew McDermid set Augustana down in order in the top of the first, Mitch Massino gave him a 1-0 lead with an RBI triple off
Sam Cregan (Air Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.) in the bottom half.
The Vikings answered with two runs in the second.
Matt Ozanic (East Leyden HS, Franklin Park, Ill.) drew a leadoff walk and one out later, scored from second on a
Kyle Wise (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) single.
Chase Maifield (Grant HS, Round Lake, Ill.) doubled to center to score Wise and make it 2-1.
T.J. Pfaffle's leadoff homer in the third tied it at 2-2 before Augustana tallied seven in the top of the fourth.
The Vikings' big inning started with a leadoff walk to Maifield. After the first of three Pioneer errors in the frame,
Jacob Barker (Windsor HS, Severance, Colo.) singled in the go-ahead run. The next two scored on Carroll miscues and after Bryce Spaulding came on in relief of McDermid, Wise knocked in two more with a bases-loaded double to right and Maifield delivered two with a single to center.
The Pioneers' rally began with Benton Holly's one-out solo homer in the fifth. They added four in the seventh when Trevor Benz led off with a triple and Pfaffle singled him in. Alec Honickel followed with an RBI single, prompting Coach
Greg Wallace to go with
Nathaniel Sammer (Le Roy HS, Le Roy, Ill.) out of the bullpen. One out later, Massino had a two-run double as the hosts pulled to within 9-7.
Lefty
Jacob Reusch (Mercer County HS, Aledo, Ill.) started the bottom of the eighth for Augustana. He gave up a leadoff single to Justin Baker, but left fielder
Mitchell Owens (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) cut down Baker as he tried to go for two. Reusch retired the next two Pioneers without incident.
In the top of the ninth, Jake Nitch finished off a 4 1/3-inning scoreless stretch for the Carroll bullpen, leaving two Vikings stranded. In the bottom half, Wallace turned to reigning CCIW Pitcher of the Week
John Hayes (Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo.). The Augustana closer issued a leadoff walk, but retired the next three batters for his fifth save of the season. Hayes' 14th career save broke the school record previously held by Teddy Grothe (2000-03).
Cregan went 6 1/3 innings for his second win in as many decisions. He allowed seven runs on nine hits, but walked just one with six strikeouts. McDermid (0-2), who was victimized by five unearned runs, lasted 3 2/3 innings and suffered the loss.
Wise and Maifield paced the Viking offense. Each had two hits and three RBI. Wise also scored twice. Barker added a pair of hits and Ozanic two runs scored.
Wallace's club is scheduled to play a 3:00 p.m. single game versus Carthage in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, April 6.
