Baseball 3/8/06 -- Augsburg 3-7, Minot State (N.D.) 1-0

GAME 1 BOXSCORE 
GAME 2 BOXSCORE


MINNEAPOLIS (3/8/06) -- Evan Almeroth (Sr., Coon Rapids, Minn./Meadow Creek HS) pitched a complete-game two-hitter in the first game, and Darren Ginther (Sr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) went 3-for-4 with a triple, run batted in and run scored, as Augsburg College scored a sweep of Minot State University (N.D.) in a nonconference baseball doubleheader Wednesday morning at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

Augsburg won the first game 3-1 and the second game 7-0 to improve to 3-1 overall. Minot State, an NAIA program, is now 1-5 on the season.

Almeroth, a transfer from Augustana (S.D.) making his first start of the season, struck out six while walking just one and allowing two hits in his complete-game victory in the opener. The lone run scored against him was unearned, as he hit consecutive batters, with one scoring after a throwing error in the fourth inning.

Ricky Schreier (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) doubled and scord on a groundout by Ginther in the first inning for the Auggies. Jeff Stomberg (So., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) walked, stole a base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Schreier in the fifth inning, and Matt Johnson (Jr., Plymouth, Minn./Osseo HS) scored on a double by Eric Dunivent (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.) in the sixth inning.

Dunivent and Rick Andersen (So., Plymouth, Minn./Robinsdale Armstrong HS) had two hits apiece for the Auggies, with Andersen also adding a double.

Cassius Doremus (Jr., Moses Lake, Wash.) started for Minot State and allowed six hits in 5.2 innings of work, striking out one while walking three. Nathan Burckhard (Fr., Burlington, N.D.) and Jordan King (So., Minot, N.D.) had the lone hits for the Beavers in the first game.

Augsburg scored all seven of its runs in the final four innings of the second game off of three Minot State pitchers.

In the fourth inning, Augsburg's Tim Wahl (Jr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) singled and Mark Bauer (Jr., Hastings, Minn.) reached base on an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, and the two scored on a sacrifice fly by Dusty Hinz (Fr., Richfield, Minn.) and grounder by Schreier.

In the fifth, Hinz walked with the bases loaded to plate Mike Zaun (So., Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley HS), and Walh came across on an infield single by Schreier. Ginther led off the Auggie sixth inning with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Zaun, and Walh hit a run-scoring double to drive in Aaron Hazen (Jr., Burnsville, Minn.). A single by Ginther plated Schreier in the seventh inning.

Schreier went 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI for the Auggies, while Ginther went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Wahl had two hits and scored twice, driving in a run.

Mike Ronnie (Fr., Red Deer, Alberta) went 2-for-3 for Minot State, hitting a triple. Clint Parisien (So., Belcourt, N.D.) went 2-for-2.

Pat Gornick (Sr., West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS), a transfer from St. Mary's making his first apperance of the season for Augsburg, struck out three while allowing just two hits in four innings of work. Chris Cushmore (Sr., Edina, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret HS) pitched two innings of scoreless relief, striking out four while walking one and allowing just two hits, and reliever Tyler Kraft (Jr., Savage, Minn./Burnsville HS) pitched a scoreless seventh inning, striking out one while walking one.

Josh Hvidsten (Fr., Burnlington, N.D.) took the pitching loss for the Beavers, allowing two hits and nine walks in 4.2 innings of work. Andy Leraas (Fr., Hillsboro, N.D.) and James Fetsch (Jr., Langton, N.D.) pitched in relief.

Augsburg has its final nonconference doubleheader at the Metrodome on Saturday (3/11) at 10 p.m., facing Loras (Iowa). Minot State is off until Sunday (3/12), when it faces the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) at 1 p.m. and Newman (Kan.) at 4 p.m. in Wichita, Kan.