SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- Minnesota State suffered a 6-4 loss to Augustana in the final game of the NSIC Tournament on Saturday.
With the loss, MSU drops to 40-14 on the season. With the win, AU improves to 41-13 as it claimed the NSIC Tournament Championship. Augustana has now received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Minnesota State will learn its NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday, at 9:00 p.m. (CST) during the NCAA Selection Show. The selection show will air on NCAA.com.
Junior
Sam George (7-2) took the loss as he gave up four runs, three earned, in two innings of work. Joel Van De Stroet (4-1) earned the win as she gave up two runs, on six hits, in seven innings. Adam Diedrich picked up his seventh save of the season as he allowed two runs in 1.2 innings. In total, AU pitches got the Mavericks to hit into four double plays in the game.
Augustana got the first run of the game in the bottom of the first as it took advantage of a passed ball with two outs to get the runner across the plate. MSU had an answer in the top of the second as senior
Ethan Bowers smashed a home run to left center to tie the game at 1-1.
The Vikings responded right away in the bottom of the second as they recorded three runs, on four hits, to take a 4-1 lead. Brandon Weigel drove in one run with a single, before a double from Nate Soelter drove in two more.
Augustana added another run in the bottom of the fourth off a Maverick throwing error to increase its lead to 5-1.
Trailing 5-1 in the top of the eighth, a hit batter and a single put runners on first and second for the Mavericks with nobody out. Sophomore
Jake Berkland was then able to bring the lead runner in with a single to left field to cut AU's lead to 5-2. The Vikings maintained their three-run lead as a fly out, a strike out and a fielder's choice ended the MSU threat.
In the bottom of the eight, Augustana's Kobe Eikmeier lead off the inning with a solo home run to left field to put the Vikings back up by four at 6-2.
Junior
Charlie Schau led off the top of the ninth with a single, before coming around to score as Bowers homered to left field to cut AU's lead to 6-4. The Mavericks managed to get another runner on base via a walk, but two fly outs and a line out ended the comeback as the Vikings locked down the 6-4 win.
Bowers recorded two hits, two runs scored and three RBI. Schau and Berkland each recorded two hits as well.
