MINNEAPOLIS -- In the first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games of the season, the Augsburg University baseball team was swept by Bethel University in a doubleheader on Sunday night at U.S. Bank Stadium.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Bethel 7, Augsburg 4; Bethel 4, Augsburg 3
LOCATION: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
RECORD: Augsburg 2-8 overall (0-2 MIAC), Bethel 8-3 overall (2-0 MIAC)

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS
• Bethel jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Augsburg was able to tally one run in the bottom half of the second, when Carson Tomony (SO, Madison, Wis./Madison East HS) scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly to center field by Kaden Gage (JR, Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS).
• Entering the bottom of the third inning down 6-1, the Auggie bats came alive. Connor Stoik (SO, Eau Claire, Wis./Eau Claire Memorial HS) singled up the middle, followed by a single to center field by Michael Weiss (SO, Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar HS). Tomony cleared the bases -- scoring Stoik and Weiss -- on a two-out double down the left field line, earning the first RBIs of his career. 
• The game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when Augsburg was able to add another run. Isaac Flynn (SO, Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) started the inning with a single to right center field. He was advanced a base on a groundout by Ty Gage (FY, Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) and then another by a sacrifice bunt by K. Gage. Noah Thomas (SO, Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge HS) drove in Flynn with a single to center field, which was also Thomas' career-first RBI.
• The Royals scored one more run in the top of the seventh and the Auggies weren't able to piece any hits together, ending the game with a 7-4 score.
• Dylan Irving (JR, New Brighton, Minn./Irondale HS) got the pitching start for the Auggies and threw for two innings. Matt Moe (JR, St. Cloud, Minn./Becker HS) pitched five innings of relief.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS
• The game was scoreless through three and a half innings, with the Auggies scoring first and taking the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Matt Krenz (JR, Becker, Minn./Hecker HS) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Weiss. 
• The Royals scored two runs in the fifth inning and one in the seventh, leading the Auggies 3-1. Augsburg answered back in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game 3-3. Kyle Hoppe (SR, Andover, Minn./Andover HS) started the inning with a single through the left side, and then Stoik reached after getting hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Weiss advanced both runners and then Hoppe scored on a RBI groundout by Tomony. Stoik then crossed home plate on a balk by the Bethel pitcher. 
• Bethel executed a squeeze bunt in the top of the ninth inning, scoring the go-ahead run which would be good for the 4-3 win over Augsburg. 
• Augsburg drew seven walks and left 12 runners on base in the game. 
• Mathew Nicklay (SR, Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) started on the mound for Augsburg and held Bethel hitless through four of his five innings of work, while striking out two batters. Austin Jerylo (JR, Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS) and Chase Thomley (SR, St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park HS) each pitched two innings of relief. 

FOR THE FOES 
• Luke Carlson went 4-for-7 in the doubleheader, with five RBIs and scoring two runs. 
• Matthew Bohlke threw 107 pitches in game two, striking out seven Auggies and giving up only one run in 5.2 innings pitched. 

UP NEXT
• Augsburg hosts Macalaster College for a MIAC matchup on Friday (4/2) at 3:30 p.m. at Parade Stadium. 
• Bethel travels to the University of Northwestern (MN) on Tuesday (3/30) for a 4 p.m. game.