MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Augustana baseball opened their 2023 season on Friday against the Wabash Little Giants, falling by a 5-1 score. 

Augustana trotted out right-handed pitcher Josh Wintroub to open the game. Wintroub struck out the Little Giants' first batter before relying on his defense to polish off the inning. The Vikings faced right-armed starter Caleb Everson on offense, earning three consecutive walks in the first, but left all three runners on base as Everson escaped with zero runs added. Wabash earned their first run in the top of the second, using an RBI single to take 1-0 lead heading into the third.

The two teams went scoreless over the next two innings before Matt Ozanic got the Vikings on the board in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on a wild pitch to even the score. 

Augie allowed three runs right back in the sixth before adding one more in the top of the seventh after another run-scoring single. The two teams exchanged scoreless innings through the bottom of the ninth as Wabash held on to secure the contest by a final of 5-1. 

Wintroub went 5.1 innings and recorded five strikeouts in the loss. Adam Bendoratis threw two scoreless innings and notched three strikeouts in relief. 

The Vikings mustered just four hits, led by Cole Green who led the team with two while Kyle Campbell and Michael Aragon each recorded one. Ozanic scored the team's lone run and reached base three times.

The Vikings will be back on Saturday, when they face off against host school Rhodes at 2:00 p.m. The stream link can be found here.