MOLINE, Ill. – Augustana kept fighting at the plate and found runs in several innings, but a late rally from the Millikin Big Blue was the difference in an 11-7 loss on Tuesday evening at Swanson Stadium.
Riley Hendren got things moving in the bottom of the first inning, working his way on base with a leadoff double. Tagging up after a Charlie Bergin sacrifice fly, he crossed home for Augustana's first run of the night. The Vikings kept that energy going into the second. Christian Clarkreached on a fielders choice and Hendren followed by working a walk to put tow men on. AJ Macak came through with a single to left, bringing Clark home and trimming the deficit to one.
After a scoreless third inning from the Vikings, the offense sprang to life in the fourth. Ryan Theile got aboard and moved himself into scoring position before Hendren took a 2-1 count and turned it into a two-run home run to left. Just like that, the score was knotted up at 4-4. Augustana kept leaning into that momentum in the fifth. Bergin worked a walk to get things started, and Quimby followed with another to put two on. After a strikeout, Theile delivered again, ripping a double down the left-field line to bring Bergin home while Quimby moved up to third. The Vikings had their first lead of the night at 5-4.
The pressure didn't let up in the sixth. Hendren singled to get things going and Macak followed with a walk to put two aboard. Hackman stepped in and drove a double down the line, scoring Hendren and pushing the lead further. Later in the inning, with runners still moving, Macak came across on a wild pitch, allowing Augustana to stretch the lead to 7-5. Augustana had chances to add on in the seventh when Lawson Shickel was hit by a pitch to lead things off, but the inning stalled before any more damage could be done.
Millikin added two runs in the seventh and four more runs in the eighth to round out the scoring, locking up an 11-7 victory for the Big Blue. Hendren led the way for the Vikings with three hits, including the home run, and scored three times. Theile added a pair of hits and drove in a run, while Macak and Hackman each delivered RBI's as Augustana scored in five different innings.
Augustana moves to 18-7 overall and 4-3 in CCIW play. The Vikings hit the road this weekend for the first two games of a three-game series against North Central on Saturday, April 11. First pitch is set for noon.
