SIOUX FALLS – Matthew Minnick hit a grand slam while Chris Thompson and Stuart Maes combined on a four-hit pitching performance to lead the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (17-25, 14-18 NSIC) to a 4-3 game two victory and a split of a doubleheader with city rival Augustana (31-16, 25-7 NSIC) on Thursday at Karras Park. Augustana scored two runs late to break a tie in the opener for a 5-3 decision.

Minnick had a big day for the Cougars with three hits in six at bats and four RBI. He scored two runs while generating a double, triple and home run with nine total bases as he raised his batting average to .283. The grand slam was the first of his career and the 17th of his career. Josh Rehwaldt, who had three hits in seven at bats with his fifth home run of the season, raised his batting average to a team-high .379. Gunner Peterson also had three hits while Rob Johnson added two.

USF's pitching was solid again as the Cougars allowed just 11 hits and eight runs in 15 innings. USF had nine strikeouts and 15 walks with a 4.80 ERA.

The Cougars have now won three of the last four games in the series, all by one run. A year ago, USF recorded 8-7 and 5-4 walk off wins over the Vikings.

G1 – Augustana 5 Sioux Falls 3 (7 innings)

For the third straight game in the series, the home team picked up a win in its final at bat. A year ago, the Cougars won two walk-off wins on their home field. On Thursday, the Vikings broke a 3-3 tie with run scoring singles by Patrick O'Donnell and Kris Ashland to defeat USF, 5-3.

Dan Johnson (3-3) started and took the loss for USF but had another effective outing. He allowed five runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. However, Johnson was hurt by seven walks, including two in the sixth inning which resulted in the game-winning tallies for Augie. Zak Wallner finished the sixth inning, allowing two hits in 1/3 of an inning. Ryan Hamilton started for Augie but did not figure in the decision. He allowed three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts. Dalton Allen (1-3) picked up the win after recording two strikeouts in one inning of work (sixth inning).

The Cougars were led on offense by first baseman Rehwaldt, who had three hits, including his fifth home run of the season and ninth of his career. Both Peterson and Minnick had two hits.

Augie opened up a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Ford Schroeder's sacrifice fly plated Riley Johnson, who had walked to open the bottom of the first inning.  

After the Vikings added a run in the fourth inning, Rehwaldt's home run to the opposite field (left field) tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth inning. Lucas Berry executed a squeeze play in the fifth inning to give the Vikings a 3-2 lead. After a triple to the right field corner by Minnick, Dylan Gavin executed a squeeze to tie the game at 3-3.

The Vikings answered in the home half of the sixth inning as O'Donnell and Ashland had back to back RBI singles for a 5-3 advantage. Then, Collin Lovell shut the door on USF as he picked up his seventh save of the season.
 
G2 – Sioux Falls 4 Augustana 3 (9 innings)

A grand slam by Minnick, combined with stellar mound performances from starter Thompson and reliever Maes, lifted USF to a 4-3 win in game two.

The story of the game was the pitching from Thompson and Maes. Thompson (3-2) held Augie to just one hit over five innings and allowed just three earned runs on three hits in six innings of work to pick up his third victory. He had four strikeouts and five walks in throwing 91 pitches. Maes allowed just one hit over the final three innings and picked up his first career save in his best relief pitching performance of his career.

The Cougars started out fast against the Vikings by putting up four runs in the first inning as Minnick hit a grand slam on a full count in the top half of the first inning. The Vikings cut the lead to 4-1 with a run in the bottom of the first inning.

Augie pushed two runs across in the bottom of the sixth inning as Ashland and Ryan Menssen had RBI to cut USF's advantage to 4-3. Then, Maes tied up Augie hitters and the Cougars earned the split.

Next up for USF will be a pair of doubleheaders against Concordia St. Paul on Friday and Saturday in St. Paul, Minn. The games will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday.