ST. PAUL, Minn. – After the University of Northwestern Baseball team defeated Augsburg University 18-5 last Thursday in Minneapolis, the Auggies arrived in St. Paul on Wednesday ready for revenge; and ready they were, as the visitors out-scored the Eagles 35-13 across the 14-inning doubleheader thanks to 37 hits. Augbsurg only trailed for a total of two innings as it rolled to wins of 19-11 and 16-2 at Reynolds Field to extend its winning streak to four games.
Game One
The script was flipped from the first meeting between the two teams in game one of Wednesday's doubleheader, as it was the Auggies who struck first and struck big, scoring five runs off of
Christian Raya (Moline, Ill./Moline) in the top of the first inning. UNW came ready to bat as well, as
Jack Burns (Plainfield, Ill./Aurora Christian) launched a two-run home run over the center field wall. Three batters later,
Parker Huebsch (Woodbury, Minn./New Life Academy) hit an RBI single to shrink the deficit to 5-3 after one inning.
Augsburg put up two more runs in the second inning, but Northwestern was able to add another of its own in the third when
Alex Klein (Olathe, Kans./Olathe Northwest) doubled home Huebsch, who had just hit a double himself. In the bottom of the fourth, Hixon followed up a Burns double with a sacrifice fly to once again trim the deficit to two at 7-5, but the visitors took advantage of the Eagles' bullpen in the top of the fifth frame, tacking on five more runs to take a commanding, 12-5 lead.
Despite the hefty deficit, UNW refused to back down, immediately answering the Auggies' big inning with one of its own in the bottom half of the fifth. Consecutive singles from
AJ Kazel (Esko, Minn./Esko) and Klein, plus a hit batter, loaded the bases for
Kason Pietruszewski (Warroad, Minn./Warroad). The freshman drew a walk to bring a run home, then Burns cleared the bases with a three-run double to left-center field, pulling Northwestern within three at 12-9.
As was the theme for most of the game, the hot bats continued for Augsburg in the top of the sixth frame. Five runs were scored before an out was recorded, and seven runs in total came across to suddenly put the game on the brink of ending early due to a 19-9 margin. The Eagles were able to extend it with a Pietruszewski RBI single in the bottom half, and a
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) shot over the left field wall to lead off the bottom of the seventh raised some eyebrows at Reynolds Field, but the Auggies ultimately prevailed with a 19-11 victory.
Burns was outstanding at the pate, going 3-5 with a home run, a double and five RBI. Pietruszewski and Hixon (who homered) each had two hits and two RBI, while Huebsch and Hazel each recorded two hits, including one double apiece and each drove in a run. Raya took the loss on the mound after giving up five earned runs in 3.2 innings
Game Two
In the nightcap, it was Northwestern who drew first blood via an RBI single from Burns in the bottom of the first inning.
Solomon Kardell (Coon Rapids, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy), the reigning NCCAA Pitcher of the Week, held Augsburg scoreless in the first two innings, but the visitors were able to scratch a run across in the top of the third to tie the game. The Auggies then added five runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, two in the sixth and five in the seventh as they continued to shell UNW's pitching staff. The Eagles were able to add another run in the fifth, courtesy of a Pietruszewski RBI single, but were unable to get a runner past second base the rest of the way as they fell by a 16-2 score.
Pietruszewski was the lone Eagle to record multiple hits, finishing with a single, a double and an RBI. Burns drove in the other run, while Klein had the only other hit of the night—a double off the right-field wall in the bottom of the sixth. Kardell fell to 1-2 on the season with the decision after surrendering eight earned runs and striking out three in four innings of work.
Up Next
Northwestern will host Martin Luther this weekend in its final UMAC home series of the season. Game one will begin Friday at 3:00 PM and the team will hold its Senior Day ceremony prior to Saturday's 1:00 PM tilt.
