Baseball 3/13/04 -- Augsburg 4-0, UMass-Boston 1-3

GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE


FORT MYERS, Fla. (3/13/04) -- Darren Ginther (So., Crystal, Minn./Robbindale Armstrong HS) pitched a complete-game four-hitter and Collin Nash (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) hit a solo home run to lead the Augsburg College baseball team to a split with the University of Massachusetts-Boston in the opening games for the Auggies at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Saturday at Cape Coral Field.

Ginther struck out nine while not walking a batter in the first game, 4-1 victory. Augsburg lost the second game 3-0. Augsburg is now 1-3 on the season, while UMass-Boston is now 1-1.

The first game was scoreless through four innings. Leading off the fifth, Nash led off the frame with a line-drive, solo home run to left center. Joe Haehn (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS) hit an infield single and advanced to third on a double by Andy Nelson (So., Waseca, Minn.). Haehn then scored on a single by Ricky Schreier (So., Maplewood, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) to make the score 2-0.

The Beacons scored in the sixth, as doubles by Jon Tekela and Mike McGonagle plated a run. But Augsburg scored twice more in the seventh, as Nash walked, moved to third on two wild pitches, and came across on a single by Matt Johnson (Fr., Plymouth, Minn./Osseo HS), and pinch runner Brian Bambenek (Fr., St. Charles, Minn.) scored on a fielder's choice by Schreier.

Johnson was 2-for-2 for the Auggies, who scattered nine hits among eight batters.

Augsburg could manage just four hits in the second game, as UMass-Boston pitcher Ryan Blanchard pitched a complete-game victory, striking out four. Augsburg left just three runners on base, but grounded into two double plays in the game.

Schreier went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Auggies.

Josh Remme (So., Faribault, Minn.) started and pitched four innings, striking out two while walking three. Andy Dahl (Sr., Cottonwood, Minn./Lakeview HS) and Tyler Kraft (Fr., Savage, Minn./Burnsville HS) pitched in relief for the Auggies.

McGonagle led the Beacons in the second game, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and a triple.

Augsburg has Sunday (3/14) off before returning to action with single games on Monday (3/15). The Auggies face Clarkson (N.Y.) at 9 a.m. and Knox (Ill.) at 12 noon.