MOLINE, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings baseball team opened up their 2023 home slate on Wednesday, defeating the Monmouth Fighting Scots by a final of 6-1 to secure their 10th straight win, their longest streak since the 2019 season.

Bryce Luckey started for the Vikings and pitched three shutout innings, while the Augie offense got its stride in the fourth after going scoreless through three. Chase Maifield broke the scoring drought with an RBI double before Michael Aragon followed with a run-scoring double of his own to put Augie up 2-0. The Vikings built a three-run advantage in the fifth inning after Kyle Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to score Cole Green from third base. 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Augustana scored their final three runs. With a double and two walks, the Vikings filled the bases before Dymitri Kanellakis scored from third on a Monmouth wild pitch. Brett Benedetti delivered a two-run double to bring in the current runners, increasing the Augie lead to 6-0. The Fighting Scots scored their lone run of the game in the top of the eighth inning, but were unable to mount a comeback as the Vikings claimed a victory in their first home game of the season.

Luckey earned his third win of the year, tossing 5.1 innings and striking out six batters, a season-high for the right-hander. Seven hits were recorded by Augie, with Kanellakis leading the group with two. Benedetti notched a team-best two RBI.

Augustana improves to 11-2 with the win.