GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

MINNEAPOLIS -- Joe Pierce (JR, Eden Prairie, Minn.) had two doubles and drove in two runs, while James Panning (SR, Gibbon, Minn./Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop HS) had three hits with a run and an RBI, but Augsburg College fell in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader to visiting St. Olaf College on Saturday afternoon at Parade Stadium.

Augsburg (13-14 overall, 5-5 MIAC) fell in the first game 8-6, and St. Olaf (14-6 overall, 3-1 MIAC) dominated in a 21-1 victory in the second game.

Carson Jones went 5-for-5 at the plate, with a triple, six RBI and five runs scored in the doubleheader to lead St. Olaf -- going 3-for-3 in the first game with a run and an RBI and 2-for-2 with five RBI and four runs scored in the second game. Tyler Johnson went 5-for-7 with three runs scored, a double, homer and three RBI, and Erik Nelson and Pat Wadzinski had four hits apiece, with Nelson driving in a four runs with two doubles and a triple, and Wadzinski driving in three runs with a double and homer.

The first game was a back-and-forth affair late, as the Auggies rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning, keyed on a two-run double by Pierce. But a Wadzinski two-run double in the top of the sixth gave the Oles a 5-4 lead.

Augsburg drove in two runs in the bottom of the sixth, as two-out singles by Tim Gerding (FY, Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) and Brent Kolbow (FY, Forest Lake, Minn.) gave the Auggies a 6-5 advantage. The Oles surged ahead in the top of the seventh, as a two-out, two-run double by Sean Dube and an RBI single by Tyler Jones gave the Auggies an 8-6 lead. Ole reliever Brandon Agneberg allowed a hit in the bottom of the seventh, but the runner was stranded to end the game.

Both teams' starters had strong performances -- Augsburg's Sam Weber (JR, Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) struck out six while not walking a batter in 5.1 innings of work, while St. Olaf's Ben Hughes struck out six while walking two in five innings of work.

In the second game, St. Olaf sent at least nine batters to the plate in each of the first four innings, scoring 20 runs. The Oles had 20 hits in the game and took advantage of three Augsburg errors. Twelve of the 16 Ole position players who saw playing time had hits in the game. Meanwhile, Ole starter Pete Loizzo struck out three while walking one and allowing just five hits in four innings to earn the win.

Augsburg returns to action on Tuesday (4/14) at 1 p.m., with a nonconference, nine-inning game against Wisconsin-Superior. The game will be an Augsburg home game played at Northwestern College in Roseville, Minn.