MOLINE, Ill. -- In a critical late-season conference battle, it was the Augustana Vikings baseball team who broke things open in the middle innings on Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 13-5 win over the North Park Vikings.

After falling behind early, Augustana got on the board in the third inning. Ryan Coon worked a walk and came all the way around to score on a double steal, swiping home as Kaileb Hackman took second. Moments later, Hackman crossed the plate on a sacrifice groundout from Charlie Bergin, giving the Vikings a 2-1 lead. North Park responded to retake the lead, but the home Vikings didn't let them keep it for long.

For a stretch in the fifth, it felt like something out of a cartoon, with Augustana continuously sending runners around the bases and across the plate in a seven-run inning. The Vikings scored seven runs on just three hits, worked through the lineup once, and drew four straight walks in the middle of the rally, allowing Coon, Hackman and Bergin to each come to the plate twice in the frame. The rally started with Hackman reaching and moving into scoring position before Bergin and AJ Macak worked walks to load the bases. Zach Quimby drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Hackman, before Ryan Theile followed with another walk to score Bergin and tie the game. Lawson Shickel then delivered an RBI single to plate Macak and give Augustana the lead. Christian Clark was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Quimby, and Riley Hendren followed with an RBI single to score Theile. Coon was then hit by a pitch to bring home Shickel, before Hackman capped the scoring by reaching on a fielder's choice, allowing Clark to score and extend the lead to 9-4.

Augustana continued to pour it on in the sixth inning. Macak reached and moved into scoring position before Theile drove him in with an RBI single. Shortly after, the hot-hitting Clark came through with a two-run single to score both Shickel and Theile, before coming home on a double steal, pushing the hosts to a 13-5 lead and ultimately the final score.

At the plate, Clark led the way with three RBI, while Theile added two hits and two RBI. Shickel and Hackman each recorded multi-hit efforts, with Hackman also scoring twice. On the mound, Chance Carruthers earned the win, picking up four strikeouts over five innings. Jack Buckalew picked up the save, locking down the visitors over the final four innings.

The Vikings improved to 21-9 overall and 7-5 in CCIW play, closing the gap with second-place North Park. Augustana will look to take the season series on Sunday, April 19 when they travel to North Park for a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2 p.m., with game two starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.