WHITEWATER, Wis. – Augustana baseball (34-11) continued play in the regional round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament earlier today. The Vikings overcame an early deficit to MSOE (27-18) and battled into extra innings to avoid elimination.
 
MSOE started the scoring in bottom of the first inning when Blake Hall and Micah Overley scored on a Viking wild pitch and throwing error. Augustana eventually got on the board in the third frame when Chase Maifield singled to center to drive in Alex Simon.
 
In the fifth, the Vikings evened the score at 2-2 when Simon delivered a single of his own to plate Jacob Barker.
 
After three scoreless innings, Augie took its first lead of the game in the top of the ninth. Kyle Campbell drove Simon in on a sacrifice fly to snag a 3-2 advantage. The Raiders countered, however, with a run of their own in the home half of the ninth on a Josh Beier single.
 
The Vikings got out to a solid start in extras with a leadoff walk by Brett Benedetti. After a strikeout and a wild pitch, Kyle Wise stepped up to the plate and blasted a two-run shot over the right field fence to take a 5-3 lead. Wise's home run proved to be the go-ahead score as the Vikings held on for the clutch victory.
 
Alex Simon led the Vikings offense going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and another driven in. Chase Maifield and Zachary Vrbancic also recorded multiple hits while Wise's two RBI led all batters.
 
Augustana starter Harrison Boushele saw nine full innings of action with over 130 pitches on the day. Boushele earned the win, his sixth if the season, with 11 strikeout and just one walk.
 
The Vikings will take the field again on Saturday with a chance to reach the regional championship round. Augie will take on the winner of Aurora versus the hosts from UW-Whitewater this evening.