Baseball 3/4/06 -- Augsburg 5-7, Edgewood (Wis.) 6-4

GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE


MINNEAPOLIS (3/4/06) -- Andy Nelson (Sr., Waseca, Minn.) went 3-for-3 with a run scored in the first game, and Darren Ginther (Sr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple in the second game, as Augsburg College split its season-opening baseball doubleheader with Edgewood College late Saturday night at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

Edgewood rallied to win the first game 6-5, while Augsburg won the second game 7-4. Edgewood, winners of the Lake Michigan Conference regular-season and tournament titles last year, is now 2-2 on the season, while Augsburg is 1-1.

Ginther hit a triple in the first inning of the second game, then hit two 2-run doubles, one in the third inning and another in the sixth inning, as Augsburg scored three runs in the sixth to break a 4-4 tie.

Bobby Hager (Fr., Forest Lake, Minn.) hit a run-scoring single and Tim Wahl (Jr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) had an RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, and Nelson stroked a run-scoring single in the sixth inning for the Auggies. Hager and Jeff Stomberg (So., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) scored two runs apiece.

Auggie starter Andrew Werner (So., Vermillion, Minn./Hastings HS) struck out two while walking two in four innings of work, with Josh Remme (Sr., Faribault, Minn.), Adam Johnson (Sr., Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) and Tyler Kraft (Jr., Savage, Minn./Burnsville HS) also pitching in relief. Johnson struck out two in an inning-and-a-third of work to be credited with the win. Six pitchers saw action for Edgewood.

For Edgewood, Nick Wilz (Sr., Appleton, Wis./East HS) went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, while John Fish (Sr., Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) had a run-scoring single in the fifth inning.

In the first game, Augsburg allowed just four Edgewood hits, but gave up seven errors which led to four unearned runs, including the game-winning run on an error in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Auggies rallied from a 4-2 deficit with three runs in the top of the seventh inning, as Ginther stroked a run-scoring single, Nelson scored on a passed ball and Gunther scored on a throwing error. But in Edgewood's half of the seventh, Karl Reynolds (So., Dodgeville, Wis.) led off the inning with a double, and after Jesse Anderson (Jr., Rochester, Minn./Century HS) walked and a sacrifice bunt advanced the two runners, Reynolds scored on an infield grounder and Anderson scored on a fielding error to win the game.

Augsburg gave up a run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but scored two unearned runs in the fourth inning, as a throwing error on a grounder plated two runs. Edgewood scored three runs in the fifth, with all three runs unearned after three Augsburg errors.

Ginther started for Augsburg and struck out four in four innings of work, with Evan Almeroth (Sr., Coon Rapids, Minn./Meadow Creek HS) and Kraft pitching in relief. Cody Flynn (Jr., Eureka, Calif./St. Bernard HS) started for Edgewood and struck out four in six innings of work.

Augsburg returns to action on Wednesday (3/8) with a 6:45 a.m. doubleheader against Minot State (N.D.) at the Metrodome. Edgewood plays at Piedmont College (Ga.) on Thursday (3/9) at 6 p.m.