SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Southwest Minnesota State suffered its first four-game conference sweep of the season today dropping both games of a doubleheader to Augustana, 14-10 and 7-2 at Karras Park.

Augustana (28-15, 19-9 NSIC) won the first two games of the series on Saturday in Marshall.

The two teams combined for 13 home runs on the day with Augustana hitting a pair of grand slams in game one.

With the sweep, SMSU drops to 19-25 overall, 12-16 in the NSIC, and is currently tied for ninth place in the NSIC standings. The Mustangs will close the regular season next week with six important home games at Alumni Field as they attempt to qualify for the eight-team conference tournament.

In the opener, the Vikings scored five runs in the first inning with a two-run single and a three-run homer off of Mustang starting pitcher Jake Matthys.

SMSU cut into the lead in the second on a two-out RBI single by Cole VanderBeek scoring Brandan Alfson. The Mustangs closed the gap in the third as Patrick Rients drilled a two-run home run making the score 5-3.

Augustana hit a solo homer in the third to build a 6-3 lead before SMSU attempted another rally in the fourth. Singles by Derek Branson, Tanner Neale and Brian Redemske loaded the bases before Jason Minett worked a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit to 6-4. SMSU failed to trim the deficit leaving the bases loaded following a strikeout and ground out.

The Vikings answered back with a grand slam in the home half of the fourth and then put the game away in the fifth with another four-run burst. Following a two-out SMSU error, Augustana loaded the bases with a single and walk, before Zach Reeg hit a ball in the gap and came around to score on an inside-the-park grand slam making the score 14-4.

SMSU added two runs in the sixth as Redemske and Minett hit back-to-back home runs. The Mustangs closed the scoring in the seventh on a two-run home run by Jarred Carlson and a two-run triple by Redemske cut the lead to 14-10.

Redemske led the Mustangs with three hits and three RBIs, with Rients and Branson each collecting two hits.

Matthys (0-7) pitched three-plus innings allowing 10 runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks. Travis McGlauflin tossed the final three innings and allowed four unearned runs on four hits with three strikeouts.

In game two, Redemske led-off the game with a home run, but the Vikings answered back with a three-run homer from Jack Goihl in the bottom of the first.

Neale made the score 3-2 with a solo homer in the second, but again Augustana had an answer with its own solo homer to make the score 4-2.

SMSU was then held in check by Augustana relief pitcher Lincoln Voss, who tossed seven shutout innings allowing just three hits, while striking out nine in earning the victory.

Brandan Alfson (3-3) started on the mound for SMSU allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits with one walk. Jake Leighton and Cody Curtis each gave up one run in relief.

Southwest Minnesota State begins the important final week of the regular season on Wednesday taking on Bemidji State University in a doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m.