MOLINE, Ill. – For the first time since 2016, the Augustana Vikings baseball team has clinched at least a share of the CCIW regular season title. Augustana defeated the visiting Illinois Wesleyan Titans on Saturday in a doubleheader, winning game one by a score of 10-2 before taking the finale 12-2.
Game One
After a brief first inning from both teams, the Augustana offense delivered the game's first run in the second with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael Aragon. The 1-0 lead remained intact until Augie broke the silence in the fifth, plating six runs on six hits to go ahead by seven. Kyle Campbell started the scoring with an RBI single to right field before Dymitri Kanellakis snuck a double down the right-field line to drive in two more runs. Following an RBI from Chase Maifield, Alec McGinnis singled in Kanellakis, with Alex Simon's hit-by-pitch contributing the final run of the frame.
A quiet sixth inning gave way to two more Augie runs in the bottom of the seventh, beginning with Matt Ozanic's RBI single to left field before Campbell belted a run-scoring single in the ensuing at-bat. Illinois Wesleyan entered the fray in the eighth with a score, but Maifield replied with a solo home run in the bottom side of the inning to negate the run. The Titans plated one more run in the ninth inning but could not overcome the eight-run deficit.
Harrison Boushele earned his seventh win of the season, tossing 8.1 innings and striking out three batters while surrendering just two runs. The Vikings totaled 15 hits, led by Maifield's 4-for-5 effort.
Game Two
Augie leaped out to an early 3-0 lead in the opening inning, beginning with a Campbell RBI single to left field before Kanellakis doubled to plate the second run. Maifield brought along his hot bat from game one, driving in Kanellakis with a single to right field. The Titans secured their first run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to two, but Augustana erased the score in the bottom of the inning on an McGinnis belting a bases-loaded RBI single to move the score to 4-1.
The Vikings scored five runs in the fourth to break open the game, starting with a two-run single from Campbell. Kanellakis immediately followed suit, mashing a two-RBI double of his own before McGinnis laid down a successful bunt to push the score to 9-1. Zachary Vrbancic scored Augie's 10th run with a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom of the sixth, but the Titans answered with their second run in the seventh to trim the deficit back down to eight. The Vikings left three on base in the bottom of the seventh but altered that outcome in the eighth with a pair of runs to win game two of the series by run rule. Aragon began the surge with a single before Vrbancic doubled to left to put two runners in scoring position. Cole Green walked off the Titans in the next at-bat with a two-run single.
Josh Wintroub secured the win after throwing 6.2 innings and striking out six batters. The Vikings doubled up the Titans in hits, 16-8, led by three apiece from Kanellakis, Campbell, and Green.
With the series sweep, the Vikings improve to 30-6, 13-2 in conference. It is the third straight season the Vikings have eclipsed 30 wins on the year. The Vikings' magic number to clinch the outright CCIW title and No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament is now one. Augustana will remain home against Monmouth on Tuesday, May 2 to conclude their nine-game homestand. Start time for the contest is set for 7:00 p.m. from Swanson Stadium.
