TUCSON, Ariz. – The Augsburg University baseball team played its third doubleheader of the week at the Tucson Invitational Games on Wednesday, topping Wesleyan University (Conn.) 16-5 in game one and falling 14-4 in game two.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Augsburg 16, Wesleyan 5; Wesleyan 14, Augsburg 4
LOCATION: Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz.
RECORDS: Augsburg 3-6 overall, Wesleyan 3-2 overall
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS (AUGSBURG 16, WESLEYAN 5)
• The Auggies set the tone early in game one, putting four runs on the board in the top of the first with
Steven Salz (SR, Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) and
Connor Stoik (SR, Eau Claire, Wis./Eau Claire Memorial HS) coming around to score on a Cardinal fielding error.
Carson Tomony (SR, Madison, Wis./Madison East HS) added to the Augsburg lead when he batted in both
Ty Gage (JR, Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) and
Adam Marshall (SO, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) with a single to center field.
• After Wesleyan got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first, the Auggie offense exploded in the top of the second with eight runs to take a commanding 12-1 lead. Salz and
Clint Mattson (SR, North Branch, Minn./North Branch HS) each had two runs batted in while Marshall,
Jack Jones (JR, Burnsville, Minn./Holy Angels HS),
Lance Nayman (JR, St. Paul, Minn./Central HS), and
Michael Weiss (SR, Marion, Iowa/Linn-Marr HS) had one each for Augsburg.
• The Cardinals put three runs on the board in the bottom of the second, but the Auggies remained firmly in control with a 12-4 lead. Salz came through once again in the fourth, bringing in two runs with a single to center field to extend the lead to double digits at 14-4.
• Augsburg added to its lead once again in the seventh when Mattson singled to right field to score Jones. Two at bats later, Stoik took a bases-loaded walk to make it 16-4. Wesleyan added one run in the bottom of the seventh before the Auggies recorded the final out to complete the 16-5 romp.
•
Jake Skogrand (SO, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) started the game on the mound for Augsburg, striking out four and giving up four hits and four earned runs in 2.2 innings.
Sean Littmann (SO, Bloomington, Minn./Bloomington HS) pitched 3.1 innings of relief and earned his first win of the season, striking out four while giving up just one hit and holding the Cardinals scoreless.
Manny Weiss (FY, Mariona, Iowa-Linn-Marr HS) pitched the final inning, giving up three hits and one earned run while striking out two.
• Salz went 3-5 at the plate in the game while Mattson was 2-5, with both driving in three runs for the Auggies.
• Augsburg's 20 hits in game one were its most in a game since 2017 when it had 20 hits against Carleton College.
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS (WESLEYAN 14, AUGSBURG 4)
• The Cardinals flipped the script in game two, scoring three runs in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead.
• Augsburg got on the board in the third when Salz brought both Mattson and Skogrand home to cut the deficit to one. An inning later, Skogrand tied the game with a single to left field that scored Marshall. The following at bat, Augsburg took its first lead of the game at 4-3 when Mattson batted in Tomony.
• It was all Cardinals from that point as Wesleyan scored five unanswered in the fifth and six more in the seventh to win the game 14-4.
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Jacob Henry (FY, Stacy, Minn./Forest Lake HS) made his first career start pitching for the Auggies, going four innings with three strikeouts and four hits and six runs allowed, though only two were earned.
Matty Rones (SR, Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman HS),
Nick Allbee (FY, Savage, Minn./Prior Lake HS), and
Nick Ishaug (SO, Orono, Minn./Orono HS) all made appearances in relief.
FOR THE FOES
• Luke LaSaracina finished the day 3-7 at the plate for Wesleyan with four runs batted in and a run scored.
UP NEXT
• The Auggies will take on Carthage College (Wis.) on Thursday (3/16) in a single game at 11 am (CT) in Tucson.
