Wildcats 4, Vikings 3        


           Wayne State and Augustana provided some Saturday afternoon drama at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in a Wildcat 4-3 walk-off win. The late-game heroics moved the Wildcats to 31-13 on the year, including a 22-9 mark against conference foes. #24 Augustana falls to 31-14 with a 24-6 posting in NSIC action.
            Augustana threw the first punch in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Vikings grabbed an RBI single after a leadoff walk brought Michael Svozil around. Junior pitcher Aidan Breedlove rallied to escape the rest of the inning with no other damage dealt.
            Wayne State answered the bell in the bottom frame as Alex Logelin (single) acrobatically slid underneath the tag at home from an Andrew Hanson shot to left to tie the game. Despite loading the bases, the Wildcats were unable to capitalize, leaving three left on base.
            The Vikings nearly added to their lead in the top of the second, sending a runner on second home on a single to left. Travis Miller hit the cutoff man in Kyle Thompson, who gunned down the runner as catcher Jake Lemar applied the tag. The 'Cats' defense grabbed another gem in the inning with a 6-4-3 double play to put out the side.
            The score would remain at 1-1 until the top of the fourth. The Vikings capitalized on two Wildcat errors in the inning to send two runners around and regain a 3-1 lead.
            The Wildcats grabbed a run back through the bat of Hanson for the second time of the day as his RBI single brought around Logelin for his second run of the day.
            Two innings later, the Wildcat offense came alive again. Thompson (walk) rounded the bases to head to third on a Bryce Bisenius single. The Augustana right fielder missed the throw down to third, giving Thompson an easy trot across home plate to tie the game once again.
            Still tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Wildcats were down to the final out before extras when Miller stepped up to the plate. The senior from Cumberland, Wisconsin ripped a ball into right center field. Hanson (single) turned on the jets from second base, sliding head first into home to knock off the nationally ranked Vikings in a 4-3 thriller.
            The Wildcats grabbed six strong innings out of Breedlove, the Omaha native striking out four batters on five hits and an earned run in the no decision. Aaron Ras provided three innings of no-run ball in relief, striking out four of his own on four hits while moving to 3-3 on the year.
The pitching staff grabbed help offensively from Hanson (3-4), playing a part in three of the four runs for Wayne State. Logelin went 2-3 on the day with two runs, while Bisenius finished 3-5 on the afternoon.
The Wildcats continue the series with Augustana on Sunday afternoon, playing a doubleheader at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex starting at noon.