Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

OMAHA, Neb. - The Augustana Vikings overcame a sparkling start by Northern State junior Kassidy Gaines to escape with a 3-1 win in the opener before erupting for 14 runs late in Game 2 to take a pair of wins over the Wolves Sunday afternoon in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball action.

NSU slips to 13-15 overall and 6-8 in conference games.  The Vikings improve to 20-15 on the season and 8-6 in league play.

The Wolves got a stellar start from Gaines, who put up three straight 1-2-3 innings to begin the day and faced the minimum through five innings before leaving in the top of the 7th with two on and one out.  Reliever Adam Thompson struck out the first batter he faced  and was one strike from getting out of the inning before giving up a 3-run go-ahead home run.

The Wolves countered with one run on two hits and an error in the bottom half of the inning, but left the tying runs on base.

The Vikings then rallied in the late innings of Game 2 after Northern State tied things up at 3-all in the fourth.  Augustana plated four runs in the fifth and six in the seventh en-route to a 14-3 win.

Maruice Rodriguez collected three hits on the day, including a near-home run in Game 2.  Rodriguez doubled off the top rail of the center field fence, just inches from picking up a game-tying home run.  Rodriguez eventually scored the tying run on a 2-out hit by Robbie Rocamora, who went 2-for-3 in the game.

The remainder of the week's schedule is yet to be determined with winter weather moving through the area.