MOLINE, Ill. – The Augustana Vikings baseball team began a three-game series on Saturday with the Millikin Big Blue, winning the first two games by scores of 4-3 and 14-12.
Game One (W 4-3)
The Big Blue opened a snowy first inning with a pair of hits to go up 1-0, prior to adding a run in the top of the third to double their advantage. The Augustana offense clawed their way back into the game in the bottom of the third, trimming the deficit to one with an RBI single off the bat of Matt Ozanic. Starter Harrison Boushele tossed a scoreless fourth inning, prompting the Augie bats to seize a 3-2 lead in the bottom side of the frame. With two outs and nobody on, Brett Benedetti and Cole Green began the rally with a hit and a walk, setting up an Alex Simon two-run double to right center. Augustana's 3-2 lead remaining intact for the next three innings.
Millikin broke the silence in the top of the eighth inning, securing the equalizer on an Augustana error. The Vikings left one runner on base in the bottom of the frame as game one of the conference battle remained deadlocked entering the ninth inning. Jacob Reusch came in for Boushele in the top of the inning, striking out two in a scoreless effort. With the top of the Vikings lineup at the plate, Green led off with a single up the middle, moving all the way to third on a successful sacrifice play. After two intentional walks, Dymitri Kanellakis walked off the Big Blue in the opener with a single to left field to secure the 4-3 win for the Vikings.
On the mound, Boushele struck out nine in eight innings, while Reusch earned the win after tossing one inning and striking out two batters. The Vikings secured 11 hits as a team, with Green, Simon, Ozanic, Kanellakis, and Benedetti all notching multi-hit games. Simon led the way with a game-high two runs batted in.
Game Two (W 14-12)
The Big Blue led 2-0 after scoring in the first and second innings, but the Vikings flipped the game in their favor with three runs in the bottom of the second. Following a Kyle Campbell double to center field, Maifield hit an RBI double to left center to put Augie on the board. The Vikings claimed their first lead following an error that scored two. Millikin evened the score to make it 3-3 after three innings of action.
Millikin took a one-run lead in the fifth inning after a scoreless fourth and added two more in the fifth to double up the Vikings at 6-3. The lead later grew to five with two additional tallies by the visitors in the seventh, but a five-spot in the bottom half deadlocked the score at eight runs apiece. The offensive eruption began with an Ozanic RBI double down the right field line before Campbell batted in the Vikings' second run of the inning with a single up the middle. Two at-bats later, Maifield launched a three-run home run to tie the game for a second time. The momentum quickly switched back to Millikin, sending four across the plate in response.
Facing a 12-8 deficit, the Vikings rallied with six scores of their own in the bottom of the eighth to put the game at its eventual 14-12 final. Augie loaded the bases early courtesy of a walk and a pair of singles, plating runs the next two at-bats on an Ozanic walk and Campbell hit by pitch. Kanellakis kept the scoring going with an RBI single to center field before Maifield sent a three-RBI double to deep left center, putting Augie ahead for good.
Anthony Sus earned the win after entering in the eighth, striking out three batters in 1.1 innings pitched. The Vikings recorded 13 hits as a team, with Maifield leading the with three to go with his seven runs batted in.
Augustana and Millikin will play once more on Sunday to complete the three-game series. Start time for the Senior Day contest is set for 12:00 p.m. from Swanson Stadium. The senior recognition ceremony will take place at approximately 11:10 a.m.
