Vikings open postseason action with emphatic victory
· Yahoo Sports
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AUGUSTANA) — The Augustana baseball team opened its trek through the 2026 NSIC Baseball Tournament on Wednesday afternoon, winning 21-4 in seven innings against Minnesota Crookston at Sioux Falls Stadium.
Records
Augustana 38-13
Minnesota Crookston 26-24
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Ragan Pinnow went 3 for 4 with seven RBI while Carter Heinsch added three hits, four RBI and scored three times. Brandon Weigel scored five times and had three RBI while Kobe Eikmeier scored three times and drove in three runs.
Mariano Gomez struck out five in three innings while walking seven and allowing four runs. Jack Sutton and Cal Schmelzle each threw a pair of scoreless frames to close out the win.
Weigel was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the first and moved to second on a Nate Soelter single. On the fourth pitch of his at bat, Heinsch doubled to score Weigel and give AU a lead. Pinnow added a pair during the next at bat, doubling to left center to take a 3-0 lead.
After the Golden Eagles tied the game in the top of the second inning, the bats sent a charge back through the Vikings. Maddox Foss singled and Eikmeier hit a two-run blast to reclaim the lead. Weigel followed with a double and, with one out, Heinsch drove him home with a single to double up UMC at 6-3.
After Gomez settled in and sent the Golden Eagles down in order in the top of the third inning, the offense erupted. Jake Lundquist singled with one out and Foss added one of his own to get runners on the corners and Eikmeier reached on a dropped fly ball to score a run before a two-run double from Weigel increased the lead to 9-3.
Following a pitching change and the second out of the inning, Heinsch singled home Weigel to add a run. The cherry on top came three pitches later when Pinnow sent a blast to left, putting the finishing touches on a 12-3 lead through three innings of action.
The Golden Eagles added a run in the fourth before a nine-run fifth from the Vikings ballooned the lead to its final score. Pinnow lifted a sac fly and Troy Berg had an RBI single to start it off. Jake Lundquist had an RBI double before Eikmeier, Weigel, Soelter and Heinsch received free passes with the bases loaded. Pinnow punctuated the day with a two-run double to help move the Vikings to the next round of the winners bracket.
Augustana will take their home field on Thursday afternoon, hosting Sioux Falls at Ronken Field in the winner’s bracket semifinals. First pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.
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