TUCSON, Ariz. – The Augsburg University baseball team wrapped up play at the 2024 Tucson Invitational Games on Thursday afternoon, sweeping a pair of games against Crown College and Macalester College at Kino Sports Complex.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Augsburg 13, Crown 6; Augsburg 9, Macalester 7
LOCATION: Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz.
RECORDS: Augsburg 3-9 overall, Crown 2-6 overall, Macalester 3-9 overall

GAME ONE: AUGSBURG 13, CROWN 6
• As it did so often throughout the spring break trip, the Auggie offense opened the game with a pair of runs in the top of the first with Josh Udelhofen (JR, Janesville, Minn./Janesville Craig HS) and Lance Nayman (SR, St. Paul, Minn./Central HS) each batting in runs.
• After the Polars scored six unanswered throughout the following three innings, the Auggies entered the fourth trailing 6-2. Augsburg responded in a big way, putting together a seven-run inning to take a lead that would hold for the remainder of the game.
• The Auggies would go on to add two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings to complete the 13-6 rout.
• Adam Marshall (JR, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) had a massive game at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with a double, three runs scored, and two RBI. Nayman also logged a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
• Pitching six full innings of relief, Austin Lang (SO, Anoka, Minn./Anoka HS) was dominant on the mound, picking up the win after holding the Polars hit-less and scoreless while striking out four batters.

GAME TWO: AUGSBURG 9, MACALESTER 7
• The Scots got on the board first with a run in the top of the second, but the Auggie offense came up big once again with three runs in both the second and third innings. Augsburg would tack on a single run each in innings 4-6, taking a 9-1 lead.
• Macalester scored six unanswered in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but that proved to be all it could do as the Auggies hung on for the two-run win.
• Andruw Vela (FY, St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park HS) turned in the strongest performance of his young career as an Auggie, going 4-for-5 with a triple, three RBI, and two runs scored. Aaron Jones (FY, Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS) and Drew Jenkins (SO, Farmington, Minn./Randolph HS) each finished 2-for-5, and Joe Peterson (SO, Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen HS) finished 2-for-3.
• Jake Pittelkow (SO, Roseville, Minn./Simley HS) earned the win as Augsburg's starting pitcher, allowing just four hits and four runs with three strikeouts in six full innings of work. Jake Skogrand (JR, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) earned a save after entering the game with runners on first and second and with the tying run on deck, allowing three hits and two runs with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work.

FOR THE FOES
• Mason Brock and Rhys Dewick each went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Polars.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg will return to Minneapolis before heading south for a doubleheader at Bethany Lutheran College on Tuesday, March 19 beginning at 3 pm.