Augustana starting pitcher Jacob Blank limited Wayne State to a trio of singles over eight innings of shutout ball as the 11th-ranked Vikings blanked the Wildcats 11-0 Wednesday in the opening round of the 2018 NSIC Baseball Tournament played at Karras Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The host Vikings (41-8) plated single runs in the first and second innings and two more in the third to take a 4-0 lead on Wildcat freshman starter Aaron Ras.
Augustana then chased Ras in the fifth by scoring three runs for a 7-0 lead. The Vikings added two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh off Wildcat reliever Charles Hasty for a 10-0 advantage.
Meanwhile, Blank was holding the Wildcat offense in check, as he allowed two base runners in just one inning during his eight innings of work.
The Wildcats got singles from Bryce Bisenius in the first, an infield single by Andrew Hanson in the second and a single to center field in the fourth from Travis Miller. The second inning was the only time Wayne State had two base runners in the same inning, as Hanson led off with an infield single followed by a walk to catcher Garrett Graveline.
Wildcat senior Rob Ramsey produced a pinch-hit double to right field in the ninth inning for the lone extra base hit of the contest for Wayne State.
Ras suffered the pitching loss, charged with six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and five walks. Hasty worked the next 2 2/3 innings in relief and allowed six hits and four runs while Dalton Smith retired all three batters faced in the eighth inning with one strikeout.
Wayne State (20-25) now faces Winona State Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in an elimination game at Sioux Falls Stadium.
