Baseball 4/9/08 -- Augsburg 3-8, Macalester 0-5
CLICK HERE FOR GAME 1 STATISTICS
CLICK HERE FOR GAME 2 STATISTICS
CLICK HERE FOR AUGSBURG SEASON STATISTICS
DUNDAS, Minn. (4/9/08) -- Jason Kickhafer (JR, Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) struck out four in a complete-game, four-hit shutout in the first game, with teammate Bryan Ludwig (SR, Woodbury, Minn.) delivering a two-run homer in the fourth inning, leading the Augsburg College baseball team to its first victory of a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of Macalester College on Wednesday afternoon at Dundas Memorial Park.
Augsburg (12-8 overall, 4-0 MIAC) won the first game 3-0, then held off a late rally by Macalester (9-14 overall, 2-4 MIAC) to win the second game 8-5. The games marked the first action for Augsburg since March 28.
Throwing 105 pitches, but just one walk against four strikeouts, Kickhafer improved to 2-3 on the season with his second career shutout, Augsburg's first shutout win of the season.
Meanwhile, designated hitter Ludwig -- hitting .476 on the season (10-of-21) -- connected on his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot to right-center with one out in the fourth inning. Despite playing in just 10 of Augsburg's 20 games thus far this season, Ludwig already has 11 RBI, the third-highest total on the team.
Augsburg scored its other run in the second inning, as Rick Andersen (SR, Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) walked, stole second base and scored on a single by Al Davis (FY, St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS).
Devin English (SO, Annapolis, Md./DeMatha HS) and Adam Kent (SR, Madison, Wis./West HS) had two hits apiece for Macalester in the opening contest. Jon Simkins (SR, Galesburg, Ill.) also pitched a complete-game effort, striking out two while walking one and allowing four hits, throwing just 68 pitches in six innings.
In the second game, Augsburg used a six-run second inning, sending 11 batters to the plate, to build an 8-0 lead after four innings. But Macalester rallied late, scoring a single run in the fifth and four runs in the sixth against four Augsburg pitchers.
Augsburg starter Jon-Eric Urseth (JR, Golden Valley, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) earned the pitching win with five innings of one-run work, striking out four while walking two to improve to 3-1 on the year. Brian Olson (JR, Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) picked up his third save of the season with a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two of the four batters he faced.
Craig Henry (SO, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) went 3-for-4 with a double for the Auggies in the second game, driving in two runs and scoring two runs. Davis had two hits, driving in a run and scoring a run, and Andersen drove in two runs and scored a run. Jeff Stomberg * (SR, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) scored twice for Augsburg.
For Macalester, Michael Kennedy (SO, Chicago, Ill./Northside Prep HS) had two hits, as did Joe Borer (SR, St. Paul, Minn./Central HS). Bobby De Meulenaere (FY, Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove HS) drove in two runs for the Scots.
Both teams return to MIAC play with doubleheaders on Thursday (4/10), as Augsburg hosts Carleton at the Metrodome at 5:30 p.m., and Macalester plays at St. John's at 2:30 p.m.
