GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. -- Adam Seaman (FY, Richfield, Minn.) hit two doubles and went 3-for-6 with three runs batted in, and Joe Pierce (SR, Eden Prairie, Minn.) extended his consecutive-game hitting streak to 20 straight games, as Augsburg College claimed a sweep of host Bethel University in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Hargis Park.

Augsburg (11-11 overall, 4-0 MIAC) scored a 12-7 win in the first game, and edged Bethel (9-10 overall, 0-4 MIAC) 3-1 in the second game, extending the Auggies' winning streak to five straight games.

Pierce extended his hitting streak to 20 straight games with a 2-for-4 performance in the first game and a 1-for-2 effort in the second game. Pierce's 20-game streak is the third-longest active hitting streak in NCAA Division III baseball, behind the 25-game streaks currently held by Greg Ferrell of Mount Union (Ohio) and Alan Komorowski of Sewanee (Ga.). The longest overall streak in Division III this season, though not active, was a 26-game streak by Mike Galeotafiore of The College of New Jersey.

Augsburg's cleanup hitter and first-baseman, Pierce currently leads the team in nearly every offensive category -- batting average (.446), slugging percentage (.649), on-base percentage (.481), hits (33), extra-base hits (9) and RBI (23), while also leading Augsburg regulars in fielding percentage (.994, one error in 159 defensive chances).

Marshall Nelson (JR, Albertville, Minn./West Lutheran HS) gained the pitching victory in the first game, striking out two while walking three in 5.2 innings of work. Bryant Nordby (JR, Brownton, Minn./McLeod West HS) claimed his fifth save of the season with 1.1 inning of scoreless relief.

Meanwhile, starter Mark Heise (JR, Foley, Minn.) scored the second-game win, striking out three in five innings of work. Kristofer Ozga (JR, Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Stevenson HS) scored the save with two innings of scoreless relief, striking out two while allowing just one hit.

Augsburg used a seven-run second inning, sending 12 batters to the plate and collecting seven hits, to take an early 7-1 lead. Seaman had a run-scoring double and a run-scoring single in the inning, while Tim Gerding (SO, Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) had a two-run single, and Pierce and Mason Holmquist (JR, Prior Lake, Minn.) each had RBI singles.

John Demgen (SO, Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) doubled and scored on an error in the sixth inning to give the Auggies an 8-2 lead, but Bethel cut the lead to one run with a five-run sixth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate. But Augsburg regained the advantage with a four-run seventh inning, with Jeff Butler (FY, Prior Lake, Minn.) hitting a two-run single and Demgen and Craig Henry (SR, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) each hitting RBI singles.

In the second game, Augsburg rallied from a 1-0, second-inning deficit with a three-run fourth inning, with all its runs coming with two outs. Pierce singled and scored on a double by Seaman, Seaman scored on an RBI double by Bobby Monsour (SO, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Roseville HS), and Eric Olson (SR, New Prague, Minn.) singled and scored on a fielding error.

For Bethel, Esteban Abbey (FY, Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech HS) had three hits in six at-bats, while Sean Flaherty (SR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) hit a three-run homer in the first game.

Augsburg returns to MIAC play on Saturday (4/10) at 1 p.m., hosting Concordia-Moorhead at Parade Stadium.