SIOUX FALLS – With Andrew Maslowski throwing a gem and hitting from Trey Hubers, Connor King and Jared Binsfeld, the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (13-15, 9-15 NSIC) win game two, 6-3, to earn a split in the city rivalry mid-week NSIC baseball matchup at Ronken Field on Wednesday night. Augustana picked up the win in game one, 7-1.
 
With the victory, USF has now five of its last seven games to move to 13-15 overall and 9-15 in league play. They will begin a seven-game homestand, starting on Saturday and Sunday with a pair of doubleheaders against Upper Iowa at Sioux Falls Stadium. USF has now defeated the Vikings six times in the last 11 meetings.

"This was a nice win for our team, which is starting to combine solid pitching with hitting and defense," said USF Head Coach Grant Hieb. "Andrew Maslowski was really good today and Alex Krout came into get a save and do what he has done in recent games for us. On offense, Connor (King) and Trey (Hubers) came up with some big hits. We hope we can take the momentum of the win into the weekend series with Upper Iowa," said Hieb.
 
Game 1 – Augustana 7 USF 1 (7 innings)
 
In the opener, Jordan Barth homered twice and Koby Bishop had a solid start to lead Augustana past Sioux Falls, 7-1.
 
The Cougars were led by Sam Michels with two hits while Zane Butts and Grant Lung also had a hit.
 
On the mound, Cole Schumacher worked five innings and allowed eight hits and five runs with three strikeouts and walked one hitter. Payton Livingston finished for USF and worked the final inning with two strikeouts. He allowed two runs on three hits.
 
Bishop allowed just two hits in six innings and scored five strikeouts while walking four USF hitters.
 
USF scored its only run in the seventh inning after Butts had a lead-off single and later scored on Kyle Gulbrandson's RBI ground out.
 
In the bottom of the first inning, Jordan Barth hit a two-run home run as Augustana took a 2-0 lead. Drey Dirksen also had an RBI as the Vikings led, 3-0, after one inning. In the bottom of the third inning, Barth belted his second home run of the game.
 
Game 2 – Sioux Falls 6 Augustana 3
 
Andrew Maslowski (3-3) had his best pitching performance of the season and USF had two hits each from Connor King and Trey Hubers while Jared Binsfeld provided a two-run single as the Cougars earned a split of the doubleheader with Augustana, 6-3, in game two.
 
In earning his third overall win in six decisions, Maslowski won for the second straight start as he allowed just five hits and no earned runs (two unearned runs) in 7 1/3 innings. In throwing 91 pitches, he had four strikeouts and just a pair of walks. In his past two outings against Augustana and SMSU (seven innings, five hits, one earned run, April 15), Maslowski has allowed only one earned run and 10 hits in 14 1/3 innings. He has six strikeouts and two walks during those two starts when he has thrown a total of 157 pitches. Alex Krout finished for USF against Augustana with 1 2/3 innings of relief in earning his third save of the year. He gave up two hits and no earned runs with three strikeouts.
 
King had two hits in four at bats with a run scored and two RBI as he has risen his batting average to .253. Trey Hubers had two hits and two runs scored while Binsfeld had two RBI. USF had six runs on five hits but drew seven walks in the win.
 
The Cougars pushed across a run in the top of the third inning after Hubers scored on a run-scoring single from Connor King. In the top of the 8th inning, King and Cate drew bases-loaded walks to bring home Tyler Blackburn (walk) and Hubers (infield single). Then, Lung picked up USF's third straight walk and his RBI gave USF a 4-0 lead. After that, Binsfeld had a two-run single for a 6-0 lead. The Vikings scored three times in the home half of the eighth inning, although two were unearned due to a USF error.