Kyle Thompson had a huge day for Wayne State in their regular-season finale Saturday, as the third baseman went a combined 6-for-10 to help the Wildcats beat Augustana 9-5 and 11-8 in 10 innings at Karras Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The opener saw the Wildcats score five runs in the top of the seventh to rally for a win in the opener.
Both teams scored three runs in the first inning. Bryce Bisenius belted a three-run opposite field homer over the left field wall to start the game, scoring Alex Logelin and Tanner Simons to put the Wildcats ahead 3-0.
After Augustana answered with three in the bottom of the frame, Wayne State regained the lead at 4-3 in the second when Jackson Petersen reached on an infield single and later scored on a Travis Miller groundout.
The host Vikings scored two in the third to take a 5-4 lead and the score stayed that way until the top of the seventh when Logelin led off with a walk and scored on a Simons two-run homer to left. Miller was hit by a pitch and Andrew Hanson walked, setting up Thompson’s three-run blast to left center to send Wayne State to the win. Lawson Zenner, who came on in the sixth with one out in place of starter Aidan Breedlove, held the Vikings scoreless in the seventh to finish the win.
Wayne State had seven hits in the game, led by Thompson going 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI. Bisenius added a three-run homer with Simons connecting for a two-run shot. Logelin also tripled for the Wildcats.
Zenner was the winning pitcher in relief of Breedlove, working the final 1 2/3 innings and allowing one hit with four strikeouts and one walk. Starter Breedlove lasted 5 1/3 innings and was charged with five runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
The second game saw the Wildcats produce a season-high 19 hits as Wayne State outlasted Augustana in a wild 10-inning finale.
Miller belted a three-run homer in the second to give Wayne State a 3-1 lead, and Hanson connected for a solo shot in the sixth to make it 4-2 before Augustana answered with three in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-4 advantage.
Both teams scored two in the eighth inning with Wayne State key hits coming on RBI singles from Hanson and Thompson.
Wayne State enjoyed a short-lived 8-7 lead after scoring three runs in the top of the ninth, as Miller had an RBI single while the other Wildcat run scored on an Augustana throwing error. Augustana then tied the game in the ninth with one run to send the game into extra innings.
In the Wildcat 10th, Simons had an RBI triple that brought home Logelin. Simons scored on a Colin Chick single while Chick scored on a Hanson single. Brady Johnson, the sixth Wayne State pitcher of the game, held Augustana scoreless in the bottom of the 10th to finish off the sweep.
Wayne State had 19 hits in the win, led by three players with four hits apiece. Hanson was 4-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored followed by Miller going 4-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored. Thompson ended 4-for-6 in the win. Simons added two hits with two RBI and two runs scored.
Zenner pitched the ninth inning and recorded the win, now 5-3 on the year. Johnson worked the 10th inning and allowed one hit with one strikeout for his first save of the year.
Wayne State (20-14, 18-16 NSIC) advances to the NSIC Baseball Tournament as the seventh seed and will face No. 2 seed Augustana in the opening round of the double-elimination tournament on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Karras Park in Sioux Falls.
