The Augustana baseball team, sitting at No. 17 in the latest rankings, delivered a stunning 13‑7 victory over third‑ranked Pittsburg State on Tuesday night, a win that propels the Vikings into the super regional round.
From the outset, the Vikings seized momentum, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning before a cascade of hits set the stage for a high‑scoring affair.
Brandon Weigel was the offensive engine, going 5 for 6 with three doubles, a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored, nearly completing a cycle that left the Pittsburg State pitching staff reeling.
Joel Van De Stroet opened the game on the mound, delivering five innings that allowed just four runs on five hits, while Mariano Gomez came in relief to fan six batters over 3 1/3 innings, surrendering only a single run.
The turning point arrived in the fifth when the Gorillas trimmed the deficit to 6‑4, but a timely RBI single from Bjorn Lind and a sacrifice fly by Maddox Foss stretched the lead to 8‑4, a cushion the Vikings would not relinquish.
In the later frames, Kobe Eikmeier added a two‑run homer, and a ground‑rule double by Weigel capped the scoring, while the Gorillas managed a solitary run in the eighth to close the book on the contest.
Looking Ahead to the Super Regional
The Vikings now turn their attention to a best‑of‑three series against Central Missouri, a matchup that promises another chapter in what has become a memorable postseason run for Augustana.