Game 1 - Wayne State 8 Augustana 2
Game 2 - Wayne State 10 Augustana 9
The Wayne State baseball team battled the dismal weather in a two game sweep of Augustana Tuesday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex. Sophomore Austen Wisroth struck out 11 Viking hitters in Wayne State's 8-2 victory over Augustana in the first game. WSC then committed three errors in game two and fell behind 9-2 after five and a half innings, but the Wildcats scored four runs in both the sixth and seventh inning to down the Vikings 10-9. Wayne State is now 14-13 overall and 10-3 in the NSIC and the losses drop the Vikings to 21-12 overall and 8-2 in the NSIC.
In the first game, Augustana jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but would not score another run until the ninth inning as Wisroth pitched seven strong innings allowing one run on seven hits. Wisroth struck out 11 batters and did not walk a single hitter. Trevor Reeves gave up one run in two innings of relief work for the Wildcats.
Wayne State jumped on the board in the second inning when Mike Bisenius doubled down the right field line scoring Treye Hacker who reached on a walk. The Wildcats would take the lead in the fourth inning at 2-1 when Nick Bidroski's single drove in Josh Nielsen, who reached on a throwing error by the Vikings' third baseman.
WSC then erupted for six runs in the bottom the seventh inning as the Wildcats had six hits in the inning. The highlights of the inning were a pair of two run singles by Hacker and Justin Beranek to extend the Wildcat lead to 8-1. Augustana would add a run in the ninth, but WSC took the game 8-2.
Wisroth (3-2) earned the win with Derek Hansen taking the loss for the Vikings. Hacker and Mike Bisenius each had two hits for the Wildcats. The Sioux City Heelan products also added two RBI's in the victory.
Augustana once again was the first team to get on the board in game two as the Vikings opened up the scoring in the third inning when Nate Baumann tripled to right field scoring Gates Cook. Wayne State took the lead in the fifth inning when Bidroski doubled to right field scoring Brandon Polk and Joe Wendte to give WSC a 2-1 advantage.
The Wildcats' 2-1 lead was short lived as the Vikings scored eight runs in the top of the sixth inning. WSC made three errors in the inning as Augustana added five hits in the inning as the Wildcats trailed 9-2 going into the bottom of the sixth.
Wayne State would weather the storm of the top of the sixth inning as the Wildcats added four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Polk and Wendte started the inning with walks. Bidroski then singled to right field. John Plasha was up next and walked scoring Polk from third base. Jarett Jackson then hit a fly ball to right center that turned into a double thanks to the wind scoring Wendte, Bidroski and Plasha to cut the lead to 9-6.
Reliever Sam Rathbun put down the side in order in the top of the seventh inning to keep the score 9-6. Wayne State then went back on the attack as Hacker reached on a fielding error followed by Bisenius who walked. Polk was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Wendte, who was also issued a walk, scoring Hacker to cut the lead to 9-7. Beranek followed with a single to left field scoring Bisenius to cut the lead to 9-8. Bidroski would strike out swinging, leaving the bases loaded for Plasha who dropped a ball into shallow center field scoring Wendte and Polk to give WSC a thrilling 10-9 come-from-behind win.
Sam Rathbun (1-0) got the win for Wayne State. Tom Doran pitched five and a third innings for the Wildcats, giving up four earned runs on four hits. Josh Nelsen pitched two thirds of an inning giving up three unearned runs on two hits. Bidroski was 3 for 4 in game two with two RBI's. Plasha and Jackson each added three RBI's.
Wayne State will face Doane College in a non-conference nine inning game on Thursday evening, April 8th at Eaton Field in Wakefield starting at 6:30 p.m.
