OZARK – Augustana, the 2018 defending National Champions, took a twin bill from the Drury baseball Panthers, 5-4 in extra innings and 4-0 in the seven inning nightcap in non-conference action Friday at US Baseball Park.
 
The Panthers drop to 5-7 and Augustana improves to 3-1.
 
In the opener, Augustana plated runs in three of the first four innings for a 3-0 advantage.  The Panthers tied it up by scoring three runs on three hits.  The scoring started with an RBI sac fly from Clayton Engel to bring home Brant Schaffitzel.  A wild pitch by reliever Tanner Brown and an RBI groundout by Nikko Calabro pulled Drury even with the Vikings.

Augustana took advantage of a passed ball in the top of the seventh to go back on top 4-3.  Drury evened the score when Augustana tried to catch a running stealing third and threw it into left field to allow pinch runner Grant Thimesch to score in the ninth to force extra innings. 

The Vikings answered in the 10^th with the game winning run coming on a sacrifice bunt for the 5-4 win.

Schaffitzel went 2-for-4 and scored a run to pace the Panthers offense who finished with seven hits. Nate Crossman went 3-for-5 and had an RBI to lead the Vikings who finished with 12 hits.

Alex Austin (0-1) received the loss and had four strikeouts in 4.1 innings for the Panthers and Michael Brandt (1-0) earned the win for the Vikings.

In the nightcap, after five scoreless innings, Augustana got on the board with a two RBI base knock to right field that allowed two Vikings to score and led to the 2-0 lead.  Augustana tacked on their final runs in the seventh on a sac fly and an RBI double.

Seth Miller (1-0) had a good outing and allowed just two hits while striking out eight Panthers and going the distance for the Vikings.  Kaden Helsel (2-1) received the loss and two runs in six innings.

The Panthers will conclude their three game series with Augustana tomorrow in a single nine inning contest set for a noon start.