Carol Stream, Ill. - The Thunder baseball team fell to 25th-ranked Augustana 12-2 in eight innings at Lee Pfund Stadium on Wednesday night. The Vikings scored two runs without a hit in the top of the first and never looked back en route to improving to 30-7 overall and 22-7 in CCIW play. Wheaton enters the final weekend of the regular season with a record of 13-24 overall and 9-20 in the CCIW. The Thunder will travel to Carthage on Friday night for a 6 pm game before hosting the Firebirds for a 1 pm doubleheader on Saturday.

Augustana did the bulk of its first inning damage with the bat on their shoulder, taking advantage of three walks before a two-out error allowed two runs to score to put the Vikings up 2-0. The Viking bats did carry their own weight in the second inning, adding three runs on four hits and tacking on one more in the top of the third to lead 6-0 after three innings.

Forcing its way into the bullpen to start the fourth inning, the Viking bats continued rolling with three more runs in the top of the fourth inning to lead 9-0, but the Thunder avoided further by damage by stranding the bases loaded to end the inning.

Wheaton's offense also came in the fourth inning with Jesse Welch leading off with a double to left center field followed by a twisting Ben Weaver triple that tucked itself into the left field corner. Weaver would score two batters later when Joel Pierce singled through the left side of the infield to cut the lead to 9-2. The Vikings added a run in the top of the sixth inning and reached the run-rule with two more in the top of the eighth inning.

Noah Ritchie led the Thunder offense by contributing two of Wheaton's five hits on the night.