GALESBURG, Ill. – The Augustana Vikings baseball team completed the season sweep of the Knox Prairie Fire, picking up a 21-1 win on Thursday afternoon. 

Augustana wasted no time setting the tone in the top of the first. After the Vikings drew walks to load the bases, Charlie Bergin stepped in and worked a 3-1 count before launching a grand slam on the fifth pitch, scoring Kaileb Hackman, Ryan Coon, and Riley Hendren to make it 4-0. Lawson Shickel followed with a single and advanced on a wild pitch, before Ethan Sosnowski added an RBI single to cap the five-run inning.

The Vikings kept rolling in the second. Coon crossed the plate again, this time on a Hackman home run to extend the lead to 7-0. Later in the inning, with Bergin at third, Sosnowski delivered his second RBI of the day, and August Besemer added another run with an RBI single to push the advantage to nine. Sosnowski was caught stealing home to end the frame. Augustana continued to pile on in the third. Hendren singled and aggressively took two bases, eventually scoring as part of a double steal with Hackman, taking advantage of a throwing error by the catcher. Bergin later drove in Hackman to close the inning, giving the Vikings an 11-0 lead.

Augustana kept its foot on the gas in the fourth inning. Shickel was hit by a pitch to open the frame, setting the stage for Besemer, who launched a two-run home run to extend the lead. Later in the inning, Hendren added a solo shot of his own as the Vikings pushed the advantage to 14-0. The offense added another run in the fifth without recording a hit. After reaching on an error and advancing on a wild pitch, Braiden Elliott came around to score on a passed ball, making it 15-0. In the sixth, the Vikings continued to capitalize on opportunities. Besemer doubled to spark the inning, and after a pair of walks and a wild pitch moved runners into scoring position, Elliott delivered a bases-clearing single to drive in three runs. Gabe Kashycke followed with a double as Augustana extended its lead to 18-0.

Augustana tacked on three more runs in the seventh to cap its scoring. With the bases loaded, Hendren delivered a two-RBI double, and another run came home after Elliott was hit by a pitch, stretching the lead to 21-0. Knox found a single run in the bottom of the seventh, but the game was well out of reach as the Vikings completed the road rout. 

Augustana used five different pitchers, throwing a combined seven strikeouts and just 108 pitches on the day. Bergin paced the offense with five RBI on three hits, while Hendren stole three bases. Hendren, Hackman, Bergin and Besemer all homered in the win.

With the win, the Vikings move to 23-11, 8-7 in the CCIW. They play their final home series this weekend, doing battle with CCIW foe Illinois Wesleyan for a doubleheader. Game one of the twinbill is scheduled for a 12 p.m. first pitch.