MOLINE, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings baseball team secured two wins over the North Central Cardinals on Saturday by scores of 8-3 and 9-8.
In game one, the Cardinals were first on the board with a run in the top of the first, but the Vikings answered with a five-spot in the second to go out in front. Daniel Mosele started the action with a two-RBI single into right field before a fielder's choice by Cole Green brought in another. Dymitri Kanellakis sent two more home after a double to left center to make a 5-1 score.
North Central tallied another in the top of the third, but Augie notched two after a single by Colton Davis in the bottom of the fifth. Kanellakis doubled down the left-field line in the following inning to bring Alex Simon home. The Cardinals added one more in the ninth, but the Vikings took the first game 8-3.
Kanellakis, Davis, and Mosele had three hits apiece, while Kanellakis batted three runs in. Anthony Sus earned the win on the mound with seven innings pitched and seven strikeouts.
North Central kicked off the second game with two runs in the first inning, but Augie followed with five in the bottom of the second for the second straight contest. A single and an error off the bat of Ethan Sosnowski evened the score at two runs apiece prior to a bases-loaded walk moving Augie out in front. A fielder's choice and sacrifice fly rounded out the frame at a 5-2 advantage for Augustana. The Cardinals tallied another in the third and fourth inning to pull within one.
In the sixth, North Central evened the score, but Augie quickly reclaimed the lead with four more tallies in the bottom half. The scoring began with a wild pitch and an error leading to two runs before Sosnowski collected his second double of the day to bring in another and Charlie Bergin added an RBI single to help stretch the Vikings' margin to four. North Central notched one in the seventh and threatened in the ninth. After the Cardinals scored twice to inch within one at 9-8, Cameron Miller struck out the final batter while a runner was on third to seal the victory.
Sosnowski and Bergin led the Vikings with two hits apiece, while Sosnowski also batted two runs in. Zach DeMarlie earned the win on the mound with 3.2 innings pitched and two strikeouts and Cameron Miller secured his second save of the season.
With the wins, Augie moves to 18-12 on the season and 5-7 in conference play. The Vikings will face North Central for the final game of the series in Naperville tomorrow starting at 2 p.m.
