ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T dropped a tough opening game in Saturday's doubleheader against undefeated Augustana at the S&T Ballpark, then couldn't slow down the Vikings in the second game as the Miners lost the nightcap 10-2 after the 1-0 loss in game one.
The Vikings (7-0) broke the scoreless tie in game one on Jordan Barth's RBI single with two outs in the seventh inning, then rattled off nine runs in the first five innings of the second game as they went on to complete the sweep.
S&T's
Dan Borek (Greenville, WI/Hortonville) and Augustana's Jacob Blank were locked up in a battle on the mound and neither blinked for the first six innings. The Miners (3-5) had only two runners reach second base over the first six innings, while Augustana had the best scoring chance in the top of the sixth, but S&T centerfielder
Kaleb Reid (Smithville, MO/Smithville) cut down Carter Wevik at the plate as he tried to score on Riley Johnson's fly ball.
Borek retired the first two Vikings in the seventh, but allowed a two-out double to Lucas Barry and hit Ryan Menssen with a pitch to precede Barth's run-scoring single.
The Miners had a chance in the bottom of the seventh after
Tim Lira (Granger, IN/Penn) led off the inning with a hit, but Michael Brandt took over for Blank and preserved the win, despite giving up a two out-walk along the way.
Borek allowed only five hits in 6 2/3 innings. Reid had two of S&T's five hits in game one.
Augustana scored a run in the first inning of game two against Miner starter
Trent Green (Perryville, MO/Perryville), then broke the game open with a three-run fourth. The Vikings added another run in the fifth, then scored four off reliever
Alex Reynolds (Republic, MO/Republic) in the fifth.
The Miners got on the scoreboard in the seventh on back-to-back doubles by
Zach Bracken (Berthoud, CO/Berthoud) and
Matt Miller (St. Louis, MO/Oakville), then Miller stroked another RBI double in the ninth to drive home
Jason Volkmann (Liberty, MO/Liberty) with S&T's second run of the contest.
S&T was outhit 12-5 in the second contest.
Missouri S&T and Augustana will play two more games on Sunday beginning at noon.