The Wildcats improved to 18-19 when they went 3-1 last weekend against the Augustana Vikings in Karras Park in Sioux Falls.

Wayne State is tied for seventh in the NSIC with a 13-11 league record. Augustana is 22-15 overall on the year and 13-9 in the NSIC, which is fourth in the conference.

In the opener, the Wildcats scored in the second inning when Albert Johnson hit a double and Kevin Anderson hit him home with a RBI ground out. WSC added three runs to its lead in the third when Curtis Bussard and Quinn McGill each singled while Michael Herman had a huge three-run home run to left field.

Nate Ackerman doubled and scored on another Herman RBI to make it 5-0 in the fifth inning. Bussard became the Wayne State all-time saves leader in this game.

Bussard got a ground out to first with runners on second and third to save the 5-4 victory for the ‘Cats.

In the second game, the ‘Cats took an early 6-0 lead, but the Vikings battled back to win 11-8.

Ackerman blasted a two-run home run in the first inning to put WSC ahead 2-0, but Augustana scored two four-run innings, one in the third and the other in the fourth to take an 8-6 lead. Johnson extended his season-high hitting streak to 13 games, while going 3 for 5 with three singles.

Wayne State won 9-7 in extra innings in the third game. Scoring four runs in the top of the eighth inning sealed the deal for the Wildcats. Ackerman’s RBI double scored McGill with the go ahead run, while Johnson singled and brought home Ackerman to give the ‘Cats some insurance going into the bottom of the eighth.

“We are hoping to carry the momentum in to our mid-week series and through the rest of the season. This is the time we need to get hot and stay hot heading into playoffs,” Ackerman said.

In the fourth and final game, the Wildcats defeated the Vikings 8-5.

Sophomore left hander Kyle Kennebeck, making his first start in 13 appearances this season, recorded the win to improve to 4-2. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up 2 runs with 5 strikeouts.

Wayne State had eight hits in the game, two fewer than Augustana. Bussard went 2-4 with two RBI’s, Ackerman tripled, and Tanner Simons doubled. Zak Leighton, Anderson, Johnson and Roberts each singled.

“Hitting is contagious and we saw that this weekend. We were having productive at bats and finding good pitches to hit,” Ackerman said.

Game 1
Score by Innings R H E
Wayne State……………… 013 010 0 – 5 8 2
Augustana (SD)………… 000 022 0 – 4 9 0

Game 2
Score by Innings R H E
Wayne State………….. 213 010 100 – 8 14 3
Augustana (SD)……. 004 421 00X – 11 17 2

Game 3
Score by Innings R H E
Wayne State…………….. 120 020 04 – 9 14 0
Augustana (SD)………. 400 010 02 – 7 15 1

Game 4
Score by Innings R H E
Wayne State…………….. 410 003 0 – 8 8 1
Augustana (SD)……….. 000 113 0 – 5 10 3