Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana College Vikings got the upper hand of an offensive slug-fest Sunday afternoon, out-dueling the Northern State Wolves at the plate for 17-1 and 14-12 victories to complete the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference series sweep.
 
The losses drop NSU to 5-11 on the season and 0-4 following the first weekend of conference play.  The Vikings moved to 9-6 overall and are one of two teams to open the NSIC loop at 4-0, joining Minnesota State in that category.
 
The Vikings used a pair of big innings to their advantage in Game 1, scoring six runs in the third and eight in the fourth to break the game open.
 
The Wolves broke up the Viking no-hitter in the fourth on a Brent Lawrence single up the middle.  Lawrence made it as far as third base, but the Wolves were unable to push the run across the plate.  Senior Jack Thompson broke up the shutout bid with a lead-off home run two innings later, but that would be as much offense as the Vikings would allow in the opener.
 
Junior right-hander Clint Manzo absorbed the loss on the mound for the Wolves, allowing six earned runs (seven total) on eight hits in three complete innings.  Ben Heairet picked up the win for Augustana, his first of the season.
 
Game 2 was a test of last team standing at the plate.  NSU scored 12 runs on 17 hits and four walks, aided by three Viking errors.  Augustana responded with 14 runs on 16 hits and six walks with help from four NSU defensive miscues.
 
The Wolves scored at least one run in all but the first, eighth and ninth innings, including a four-run fourth.  Augustana's runs came in similar bursts, as they pushed runs across in all but the first, fifth and eighth at-bats.  The difference in the final score of the game came via the Vikings' three runs in the sixth inning to NSU's two and their two in the seventh to the Wolves' one.
 
Cameron Lehner, Max Myers and Zach Miller each collected three hits apiece, while Jesse Gonzalez and Jose Figueroa both picked up two.  Lehner and Myers both notched triples, while Myers and Miller both drove in three runs apiece.  Lawrence, despite an 0-for-2 day at the plate, drew three of the Wolves' four walks, scoring all three times.
 
Robbie Rocamora took the loss for NSU, allowing five runs (three earned) in four complete innings, while striking out four.  Derek Quame picked up his first win of the season for the Vikings, coming on in the top of the seventh after a lead-off single by Thompson to shut down the Wolves and pick up the win.
 
The Wolves remain on the road next weekend to face Minnesota, Crookston in another four-game set.  First pitch is slated for noon both days for the NSIC series.