Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Sioux Falls, S.D. --- In a battle of the league's top two teams, third-ranked Minnesota State saw its eight-game winning streak snapped with a 5-3 defeat in game one but returned the favor with a 3-2 victory over Augustana College in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday afternoon at Karras Park.
 
The split moves MSU to 22-5 overall and 10-2 within the league, while AC now stands 19-9 on the year and 9-3 in conference play.
 
Minnesota State stormed out a 3-0 lead with three runs in the top of the first inning of game one. Junior Nolan Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.) began the scoring with a RBI single through the right side scoring senior Todd Standish (Brookings, S.D.). Junior Connor McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) followed with a RBI double plating senior Max Waletich (Fairmont, Minn.), before Johnson touched home after a wild pitch.
 
However, Augustana responded with five unanswered runs to walk away with a 5-3 victory. Senior Jake Peterson collected an RBI triple in the bottom of the second, and the Vikings added two more runs in the bottom of the third - started by a squeeze bunt - to tie the game at 3-3. AC senior Tony Viger belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth extending the Vikings a two-run lead that help up over the two remaining frames.
 
Senior righthander Jason Hoppe (Rice, Minn.) took his first loss of the season and now stands 6-1 on the year after striking out seven against nine hits and five earned runs in 6.0 innings of work.
 
Game two was another tight contest throughout with the Mavericks once again jumping in front, this time in the top of the third, when sophomore Taylor Branstad (Apple Valley, Minn.) scored after a Viking error.
 
Augustana retaliated with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead. Peterson clubbed a solo shot to right-center field, and junior Marcus O'Neill beat out an infield single to plate the second AC tally. In the top of the sixth, Johnson answered for MSU with a solo four-bagger to right-center field, before Waletich joined the act in the top of the ninth when he drilled his first home run of the year over the fence in right field giving MSU a 3-2 lead.
 
Junior lefthander Max Geislinger (Watkins, Minn.) set down the Vikings in order in the bottom of the ninth to improve to 3-0 on the season after striking out four and retiring every batter he faced in 2.0 shutout innings. Senior righthander Bryce Bellin (Kimberly, Wis.) received a no-decision after scattering six hits, two walks and two earned runs with four punchouts across 7.0 innings.
 
Waletich finished the day four-of-seven (.571) with a double, a home run, a RBI and two runs scored, while Johnson went three-for-seven (.429) with a four-bagger, two RBI and two runs.
 
The Mavericks and Vikings return to the diamond tomorrow for the final two games of the four-game set beginning at 12 p.m.