FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Augustana Vikings baseball team traveled south in search of warmer weather this weekend, opening play in the Gene Cusic Classic with a doubleheader sweep of Pitt-Bradford on Saturday. Augustana claimed the opener 11–4 before weather shortened the nightcap to seven innings in an 8–1 Viking victory.

Game One: Augustana 11, Pitt-Bradford 4

The Vikings struck first in the opening inning thanks to Riley Hendren. The senior outfielder launched a one-out triple into right field to get Augustana going. One batter later, Kaileb Hackman brought him home with a groundout to give the Vikings a 1–0 lead.

Pitt-Bradford responded in the second, using a two-run home run to jump ahead 2–1.

Augustana knotted the game again in the fourth inning. Ryan Theile reached base after being hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch. AJ Macak was also hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard, and after a flyout advanced the runners, a passed ball allowed Theile to score and tie the game at 2–2.

The Panthers pushed back ahead in the fifth, plating two runs to take a 4–2 advantage.

The Vikings answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning with their biggest rally of the afternoon. Hendren was hit by a pitch to start the inning before Hackman singled through the right side. A throwing error allowed Hendren to score, trimming the deficit to one. Charlie Bergin followed with a run-scoring double to bring Hackman home and tie the game at 4–4. Moments later, Macak stepped to the plate and launched a two-run home run to left-center, giving Augustana a 6–4 lead.

Augustana added insurance in the seventh when Hackman blasted a solo home run to left-center, stretching the advantage to 7–4.

The Vikings put the game out of reach in the eighth with four more runs.

Clark reached on an error and eventually scored when Ryan Coon singled and advanced on another Panther miscue. Hendren was hit by a pitch and stole second before Hackman delivered again, ripping a two-run double to center field to score both runners. Bergin capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to plate Hackman and make it 11–4.

Hackman led the offensive charge, finishing 3-for-4 with four RBI, while Macak added a two-run homer and Bergin drove in two. Augustana totaled 11 hits in the victory.

On the mound, Blake Nettleton started for the Vikings before Jack Buckalew picked up the win in relief with 2.1 scoreless innings. Ethan McGraw closed the door with two shutout innings to help preserve the win.

Game Two: Augustana 8, Pitt-Bradford 1 (7 innings)

The Vikings wasted no time getting the offense rolling in the nightcap.

With two outs in the first inning, Kaileb Hackman worked a walk before Bergin was hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard. Theile stepped up and drove a single up the middle to score Hackman for the first run of the game. Moments later, Macak lined a single into center field to bring Bergin home and give Augustana an early 2–0 lead.

The Vikings broke things open in the third inning with a five-run rally. Hackman started the frame with a single before Bergin reached on an error. A bunt from Theile forced another Panther mistake, allowing Hackman to score. Later in the inning, Gabe Kashycke ripped an RBI single through the left side to bring Bergin home. Clark followed with a fielder's choice that resulted in another Pitt-Bradford throwing error, allowing both Quimby and Theile to score. Coon capped the inning with an RBI single to right field, plating Clark and stretching the Viking lead to 7–0.

Augustana added one more run in the sixth inning when Hackman crushed a solo home run to left field, pushing the lead to 8–0.

Pitt-Bradford broke through in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice fly, but that would be the only damage against the Viking pitching staff.

Hackman led the offense once again, finishing 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a home run, while Clark and Kashycke each added RBI hits. Augustana totaled nine hits in the victory.

On the mound, Chance Carruthers delivered four scoreless innings to earn the win, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Sebastian Reyes followed with two innings of relief before Zach Bachochin closed out the final frame as the Vikings secured the weather-shortened 8–1 victory.

The Vikings improve to 6-3 on the season and are back in action on Sunday, March 8 for a twinbill against Hiram. Game one is scheduled for a 9 a.m. start.