FORT MYERS, Fla. – Augustana baseball (6-1) won their third-straight game and second overall at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers. The Vikings battled Saint John's University of Minnesota for the entirety until a ninth inning double scored the go-ahead run for Augie.
Saint John's started things in the home half of the first inning with a pair of runs on a Viking throwing error. The miscue allowed Matthew Hayford and Rodney Erickson to scamper home. The two early runs were the only offensive output for either squad until the fourth frame.
Trailing 2-0, Augustana got and board and cut the Johnnies' lead in half when
Kyle Wise drove in
Matt Ozanic. The Vikings kept that momentum into the fifth inning when they plated two runs to capture their first lead of the ball game. In the fifth,
Jacob Barker spanked a double to the gap to bring
Chase Maifield home while Ozanic joined the action with an RBI groundout.
Saint John's refused to quit, though, and came back to regain the lead in the seventh inning. Soren Roe doubled to score Joe Becker to tie the game at three runs apiece. Late in the frame, second baseman Owen Dauk hit a towering sacrifice fly to bring Roe home and take a 4-3 lead.
From there, the Johnnies challenged but could not clinch the victory. Instead, Augustana took control in the eighth and ninth.
Cole Green came on as a pinch runner in place of Maifield. Green advanced twice on two wild pitches, one of which allowed
Patrick Miller to cross home and tie the game 4-4.
In the top of the ninth, Ozanic started the final Viking rally with a walk and then advanced on a Wise sacrifice.
Kyle Campbell then came through with a clutch double that plated Ozanic and gave the Vikings the final 5-4 lead.
Ozanic and
Alex Simon led the Vikings with two hits each while Ozanic also scored a team-best two runs.
Harrison Boushele took a no decision despite starting and throwing six full innings for the Vikings. Boushele struck out eight Johnnies and walked just one while allowing two earned runs.
Anthony Sus came on in relief for Augustana and earned the win with three innings, four Ks, and two walks.
The Vikings will continue play in Florida tomorrow afternoon with another bout with the Plymouth State Panthers.
