Box Score

The Carthage College baseball team (17-11, 8-5 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) edged CCIW-opponent Augustana College (Ill., 20-10, 5-8 CCIW), 6-4, on Saturday, April 24 in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader at the Carthage Baseball Field in Kenosha, Wis. The second game was called off prior to the start on account of fog and the threat of rain. 

The two teams will complete the series on Monday, April 26 in a 2 p.m. twinbill, also at the Carthage Baseball Field. Carthage is now in third place in the CCIW with an 8-5 mark, trailing both North Central College and North Park University.

Carthage broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Tim Hansen reached on an infield error, moved up on a ground ball and scored on an RBI-single by Josh Albers. The Vikings tied the game, 1-1, in the fifth on an fielder's choice-RBI off the bat of Kevin Serna. The Red Men took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a run-scoring single by Tim Hansen. Augustana knotted the game again, 2-2, in the sixth on an RBI-double by Jared McIntosh. 

Carthage took the lead, to stay, 4-2, in the bottom of the sixth on RBI-singles by Trevor Whately and Billy Herrin. The Vikings narrowed the margin to 4-3 in the seventh on an RBI-single by Dave Hoffman. The Red Men took a 6-3 lead in the eighth when Matt Soderlund scored all the way from first on a double by Tyler Eickmeyer, and Bill Herrin followed with a single to score Eickmeyer. Augustana closed out the scoring in the ninth on an RBI-single by Nate Richardson for the final, 6-4 margin.

Carthage pitcher Mario Perez (3-3) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks over six and two-thirds innings, and he struck out nine batters. Trace Ruffie worked the final two and one-third innings, allowing only the run in the ninth, to earn his second save, both coming this week. Matt Erickson (1-2), the first of three Vikings hurlers, took the loss. Trevor Whately, Billy Herrin, Tim Hansen, Josh Albers and Matt Soderlund each had two hits, with Herrin driving in two runs. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Carthage assistant coach Cory Everts flipped the switch on the new lights at the Carthage facility, marking the first use of the bulbs in a game situation.