Ahead of a road weekend series, the Wayne State College baseball team continued league play on the road Tuesday evening.
From Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, WSC visited Augustana University.
The visiting Wildcats suffered losses of 6-2 and 12-8 having a three-game winning streak snapped. Wayne State College fell to 20-16 (16-11 NSIC) while Augustana improved to 26-11 (20-7 NSIC).
In the opening game, neither team scored until Augustana plated three runs in the home half of the third inning.
Following back-to-back scoreless innings, Wayne State College produced two runs in the top of the sixth. Junior Nate Cunningham recorded a base hit driving in senior Taylor Gill as junior Braden Cannon added a sac-fly RBI scoring senior Quinn McCafferty.
Augie answered with three runs a half of an inning later.
Final in seven innings favored Augustana University winning 6-2 and outhit WSC, 5-2. The Wildcats committed zero errors compared to one error by the Vikings.
Nate Cunningham singled and drove in a run as senior Chase Douglas doubled.
Braden Cannon added a RBI as Taylor Gill and Quinn McCafferty both scored.
Sophomore Kyler Hanson (51 pitches) suffered the loss in two and a third innings allowing three earned runs off one hit while striking out one batter, walking four and hitting two.
Sophomore Conlin Grady (47) worked three innings allowing three earned runs off four hits while striking out one batter and walking three. Junior Clement Febus (16) closed out the final two-thirds striking out, walking and hitting one batter each.
During the second outing, Augustana drove in one run in the home half of the first inning.
Wayne State College followed with a single run in the top of the second. Sophomore Brayden Chaney used a RBI single scoring Cannon.
The host Vikings picked up the pace with a five-run home half of the second inning.
Following a scoreless third, the Wildcats answered with a four-run top of the fourth to trail 6-5. Cannon started with a run off a wild pitch, redshirt junior Cam Madsen added a RBI base hit driving in junior Casey Prychak, Chaney followed with a run off a throwing error as Gill doubled in Madsen.
Augie plated two runs in the home half of the fifth to extend their lead at 8-5.
Wayne State College pulled back within two runs thanks to RBI groundout by Douglas allowing Madsen to score.
Neither team scored in the seventh, before the Wildcats produced two runs in the top of the eighth to tie the game at 8-8. Douglas reached on a throwing error driving in Prychak as Heard reached on an error driving in Madsen.
The Vikings answered with four of their own runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Final in nine innings favored Augustana University winning 12-8 while outhitting WSC, 17-7. The Wildcats committed one error compared to four errors by the host Vikings.
Cam Madsen singled twice, drove in a run and scored three times; Taylor Gill doubled twice and drove in a run as Brayden Chaney singled twice, drove in a run and scored. Casey Prychak also doubled and scored twice.
Chase Douglas accounted for two RBI; Max Heard added a RBI as Braden Cannon scored twice.
Senior Jacob Kneifl (22 pitches) suffered the loss in two-thirds of relief allowing four earned runs off three hits while walking two batters. Redshirt freshman Brooks Kneifl (36) started the opening inning and a third allowing six earned runs off seven hits while striking out one batter.
Senior Josh Kilzer (45) was the first relief pitcher in two and two-thirds allowing two hits while striking out six batters. Junior Keinan Lentell (27) followed with an inning of work allowing two earned runs off two hits while striking out one batter and walking one. Senior Eli Crnkovich (33) worked two innings allowing two hits while striking out two batters and walking one.
Cannon (7) closed out the final third of an inning allowing one hit while striking out one batter.
The Wayne State College baseball team will next travel to St. Cloud State on Friday, April 18 at 1:30/3:30 p.m. as well as a noon first pitch on Saturday, April 19.
