MEMPHIS, Tenn. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire baseball team defeated Augustana College 10-8 on Sunday to pick up its first victory of the season. The Blugolds built an early lead and held on late to wrap up action at the Rhodes Classic.
UW-Eau Claire took an immediate lead when Walter Johnson (So. - Minnetonka, Minn.) knocked an RBI double to score Drew Salyers (So. - Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe) in the bottom of the first inning. The Blugolds broke things open an inning later though, erupting for five runs in the bottom of the second. Johnson and Matt Melendez (So. - River Grove, Ill./Notre Dame College Prep) hit RBI singles in the frame, and Nate Witte (Jr. - Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) added a two-RBI double. Chase Yaeger (Jr. - Black River Falls, Wis.) also scored on a passed ball.
The Vikings chipped into the 6-0 deficit by scoring three times in the top of the third, but the Blugolds responded in the bottom half. Yaeger blasted a two-run homer — the Blugolds' second home run of the tournament — to make it an 8-3 UW-Eau Claire advantage.
Augustana scored three more times in the top of the fourth and once in the fifth to cut the Blugolds' lead to 8-7. UW-Eau Claire got some insurance by scoring on an error and a Salyers sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth. The Vikings scored once more in the eighth, but the UW-Eau Claire bullpen slammed the door shut in the ninth.
Andrew Murphy (Jr. - Mahtomedi, Minn.) knocked three hits in three at-bats to lead the offense. Salyers, Yaeger and Melendez all added two hits apiece. Both of Salyers' knocks were doubles. Witte, Johnson, and Yaeger all drove in two runs each. The Blugolds tallied 13 hits collectively.
Nico Smith (So. - Chicago, Ill./Taft) started on the mound and allowed two earned runs across four innings. He struck out five and earned the win. Matt Moore (Jr. - Stillwater, Minn.) pitched four innings in relief and held the Vikings to two runs while striking out four. Edgar Barba (Fr. - Aurora, Ill./East Aurora) pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Blugolds don't return to game action until a trip to Florida in late March. The trip to Auburndale, Fla., begins with a meeting with UW-Superior on Saturday, March 18, at the RussMatt Invitational.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
