NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings baseball team fell to the North Central Cardinals on Sunday in their conference opener by a score of 4-3. 

The Vikings put up runs early in the opening frame with the first three batters obtaining a hit to load the bases. With two outs, Ethan Sosnowski singled to center field to bat two runs in to secure the early lead. Augie held North Central scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when the Cardinals tallied a run to make a 2-1 game. The Vikings got out of the jam after Ryan Coon threw out a runner at home plate to keep the one-run lead intact. 

In the top of the seventh, a solo home run by Alec McGinnis moved the advantage to 3-1. The Cardinals followed with a two-run home run of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at three apiece. North Central walked off Augustana in the bottom of the ninth after a bases-loaded hit batter.

As a team, Augie totaled 10 hits, with Sosnowski leading with three to go with his two runs batted in. 

With the loss, the Vikings move to 9-8 on the season and 0-1 in conference play. The team will return to action on April 2 for a midweek battle against North Park in Chicago, Ill.