SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- Offense was the name of the game Saturday afternoon at the Birdcage as Minnesota State fell to Augustana 15-14.

With the loss, MSU drops to 46-6 on the season. With the win, AU improves to 38-14. The Mavericks will now take on the winner of the game between St. Cloud State and Sioux Falls approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of their game which is scheduled to start around 4:30 p.m.

Kai Taylor (4-2) earned the win as he allowed three runs on five hits, in 4.0 innings. Junior Ben Irsfeld (0-1) took the loss as he allowed two runs in 0.2 innings.

The first two innings saw the Mavericks build an early 4-0 lead. Junior Matthew Fleischhacker led off the bottom of the first with a double to right center and eventually came around to score on a ground out by graduate student Aidan Byrne to put MSU up 1-0.

After throwing out a runner at the plate to end the top of the second, freshman Jake Berkland led off with a single. Freshman Logan Miller followed up with a single of his own, before both moved up to second and third on a sac bunt from senior Nick Baker. A sacrifice fly from Fleischhacker scored Berkland, before a pair of walks loaded the bases for junior Louis Magers. Magers then drove in two more runs with a single to right before Augie could end the threat.

By the end of the fourth inning the Mavericks still held a four-run lead at 6-2. The Vikings managed to get a run across in both the third and the fourth innings, while the Mavericks scored two in the bottom of the third. Trevor Winterstein and Ragan Pinnow each drove in a run for Augustana, while Miller and Fleischhacker each recorded an RBI for Minnesota State.

The Mavericks added another run in the bottom of the fifth as Berkland scored via a wild pitch to put MSU up 7-2. The Vikings then responded with an eight-run top of the sixth to take a 10-7 lead. Augie notched five hits in the inning, including a two-run home run by Carter Heinsch and a three-run double by Sam Siegel.

MSU responded with six runs on six hits in their half of the sixth inning to retake the lead at 13-10. Byrne and Baker both recorded two-run singles. Magers notched an RBI-double also, while Miller drove in a run with a single as well.

Later in the seventh, senior Zach Stroh notched a solo home run to left field to put MSU up 14-10, but the Vikings would rally for five runs in the final two innings to top the Mavericks 15-14.

Winterstein drove in two runs in the bottom of the eight with a double, while Pinnow drove in another with a sacrifice fly. In the ninth, a double by Sam Siegel tied the game at 14-14, before Pinnow drove in Siegel with a single to put the Vikings up 15-14.

The Mavericks would be set down in order in the bottom of the ninth as the Vikings secured the win.

Byrne and Magers each drove in three runs, while Miller, Baker and Fleischhacker each notched two RBI. Miller and Stroh each recorded three hits.