GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

ST. PETER, Minn. -- Jon-Eric Urseth (SR, Golden Valley, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) struck out three and allowed just three hits in six innings of shutout pitching in the second game, while Kristofer Ozga (SO, Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Stevenson HS) struck out six while allowing just three hits in the first game, as the Augsburg College baseball team split a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Gustavus Adolphus College on Saturday afternoon.

Augsburg (19-17 overall, 10-8 MIAC) fell in the first game to Gustavus (15-17 overall, 7-7 MIAC) 2-1, while the Auggies claimed a 3-0 shutout win in the second game. 

With the split, Augsburg remains in the hunt for a berth in the four-team MIAC postseason playoffs. With one conference doubleheader remaining, Augsburg currently sits in sixth place in the league standings -- but nine teams currently have six or more conference wins, with most of the remaining teams having two or three conference doubleheaders left to play.

Urseth claimed one of the best pitching performances of his career in Saturday's second game, striking out three while walking two in six innings of work, allowing just one Gustavus runner to reach second base in the game. Mark Heise (JR, Foley, Minn.) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to claim the save.

Augsburg scored all its runs in a three-run fifth inning, with an RBI double by Craig Henry (JR, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS). Two more runners came across on an error with two outs in the inning. Brent Kolbow (FY, Forest Lake, Minn.) went 2-for-3 to lead the Auggies at the plate in the second game.

In the first game, the Auggies broke a scoreless duel in the sixth inning, as Tim Gerding (FY, Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) singled and scored on a two-out RBI single by Henry. 

But the Gusties -- who had not had a hit against Augsburg's Ozga through the first six innings of play --  claimed the win with three hits and two runs in the bottom of the seventh, with a run-scoring double by Tory Herman and a game-winning RBI single by Matt Morgan.

Ozga had six strikeouts and two walks for Augsburg, while Alan Woitas sored the win for the Gusties, striking out two while walking one in a complete-game effort. Donald Blunt (SO, Richfield, Minn.) went 2-for-3 for the Auggies with a double, and Gerding went 2-for-2 at the plate.

Augsburg closes its regular season after Finals Week, hosting Concordia-Moorhead on Monday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m. at Parade Stadium. Note that the May 4 date is a change from previous schedules.