MINOT, N.D. – The combination of defensive miscues and Augustana College's hot bats didn't bode well for the Minot State baseball team Saturday afternoon in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action at Corbett Field.

The visiting Vikings took the first two games of the series with a 23-6 win in game one and an 8-5 win in game two.

Defense was the biggest story in the first game of the day as the Beavers recorded seven errors and the Vikings scored seven unearned runs.

"I think our guys just came out a little bit with the wrong mindset," Brock Weppler, MSU head coach, said. "We've got to be confident in each other and we've got to compete and I think that first game we just weren't confident."

Augustana took advantage of the MSU mishaps early as they scored six runs in the second inning and seven runs in the third inning to put the game out of reach.

Despite dropping game two 8-5, the Beavers seemed to play with a different level of urgency, much in part due to the performance of starting pitcher Mark LaCroix (Jr., P/C, Bottineau, N.D.). LaCroix, who earned his first start of the season Saturday afternoon, finished his day throwing 5 2/3 while giving up three earned runs. He recorded four consecutive scoreless innings from the second through the fifth.

"The one thing you know with Mark is he's going to go out there and compete," Weppler said. "Nobody wants it more than him—he's going to give you everything he has. That's all we ask from our guys."

The Beavers jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the first inning with one swing of the bat from Jordan Schulz (So., OF, Strasbourg, Saskatchewan). Schulz's three-run home run to left field was his sixth of the season.

After Augustana tied the game up in the top of the sixth, the Beavers took the lead right back in the bottom half as Kyle Williamson (Fr., OF, Aurora, Ore.) drew a bases loaded walk.

Heading to the eighth inning, MSU held a 5-4 lead but that's the last lead they saw in game two. A two-run home run and two RBI singles in the eighth gave the Vikings an 8-5 lead and that's all they needed.

Schulz led the way offensively for MSU going 3-for-8 with four RBIs. Keith Ailes (Jr., OF, Bozeman, Mont.) ended his day going 3-for-6 with two runs scored.

Minot State and Augustana will be at it again tomorrow with game three of the series beginning at noon. Game four will follow the conclusion of game three.