By: Joe Hansen

The University of Minnesota Duluth defeated Augustana University 20-10.  After an early lead came unraveled in a seven-run third inning, UMD responded by scoring at least a run in six straight innings to stave off elimination from the NSIC postseason tournament once more, defeating Augustana (S.D.) Unviersity 20-10 in St. Cloud on Saturday afternoon.

Three different players hit a three-run home run for UMD in the first four innings, as the Bulldogs put up a three-spot in the first and third, and four runs in the fourth. Senior second baseman Jimmy Heck (17), senior third baseman Kyle Comer (13), and sophomore outfielder Brett Milazzo (1) provided the early power while Comer and Milazzo each added in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively. Junior shortstop Brian Pierce added an RBI groundout, scoring freshman designated hitter Tyler Wojciechowski as each member of the Bulldog line-up had at least a hit through just five innings.

Junior left-handed pitcher Kevin Stocke was the beneficiary of the early run support, but only worked into the third inning as he walked three and allowed six hits in 2+ innings on the day. Augustana (37-17) had put runners on in each of the first three innings, eventually breaking through with extra-base power of their own with an RBI triple by junior outfielder Patrick O'Donnell getting them on the board before a three-run big fly by junior outfielder Tyler Field brought the Vikings within 6-4. They would re-load the bases on a single and a pair of walks before sophomore right-hander Alex Ferguson relieved Stocke. After a bases loaded hit-by-pitch, Augie struck again with a two-run single to take a 7-6 before Ferguson forced a groundball double play to escape the inning.

UMD responded by chasing the Vikings' starting pitcher Tyler Vaughn (0-1) in the top of fourth, and Milazzo hit his first four-bagger of the year on the first at-bat against the Augustana bullpen. The Bulldogs scored 10 runs over the next four innings while Ferguson (2-2) worked in and out of trouble stranding at least one baserunner in each inning.  He finished his day with two hits and three walks allowed in 5.0 innings while striking out four. Junior right-hander Colton Sinning surrendered a home run but wrapped up the final two frames for UMD.

Comer reached on an error leading off the top of the sixth, eventually coming around to score on back-to-back singles by T. Wojciechowski and senior outfielder Spencer Diedrich before the Vikings prevented any further damage with a doubleplay on the infield. Senior first baseman Alex Wojciechowski drove in his first runs of the afternoon in the seventh, slashing a hard groundball through the drawn-in infield with Milazzo on third following a double by junior outfielder Grant Farley. Advancing to second on the throw home, Wojciechowski would come around to score run number 16 for the Bulldogs on a single by Heck, his fourth RBI of the afternoon.

Wojciechowski put an exclamation point on the Bulldog victory in the eighth inning when he connected for a two-out grand slam (33) with Diedrich, Milazzo, and Farley on base ahead of him, pushing the slugger to six runs batted in on the day and 100 on the season: just four shy of the NCAA II all-time record of 104 set by Jarred McAlvain of the University of Central Oklahoma in 1997.

In defeating Augustana, UMD has now defeated 13 of the other 14 teams in the NSIC. The Bulldogs knocked off Northern State University and Augustana at the conference tournament after not meeting them in the regular season and defeated Wayne State (Neb.) College in a non-conference game prior to the league season. The lone outlier is St. Cloud State.