Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 The Lindenwood baseball team traveled to Russellville, Ark. for a three-game neutral site series with Augustana S.D. and fell in all three games.

Weather forced both schools to head south in hopes of playing baseball in the middle of February. Game one took place on Saturday night and was an exciting start to the series. Zac Pearman started on the bump for Lindenwood and set the tone by striking out three batters in the first two innings. The Lions put the first run on the board as Jerry Roam hit a long ball to put Lindenwood up one.

Both teams would go back-and-forth for the next couple of innings as Augustana put up a run in the top of the fourth. Ryan Light started the bottom of the inning with a walk, stole second base, and advanced to third on a groundout. With two outs Augustana pitcher Tyson Gau balked which allowed Light to score.

Wade Rothermich has spent his entire Lindenwood career all over the field and continued to do so in game one. Rothermich singled to get the Lions going in the fifth inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a balk, and scored on a passed ball to regain the lead 3-2.

The Lions could not hang on to the lead for long and did not produce any more runs as Augustana put up a two spot in the eighth for a 4-3 lead and eventual victory.

Rothermich had three hits including one double and Roam had one home run. Pearman had a solid day going 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts while allowing just two runs on four hits.

The Lions had a quick turnaround with an 11 a.m. start for the second game of the series. With the Lions listed as the away team they were able to jump out to an early lead and get the offense going. Rothermich struck out swinging but was able to reach base as the ball got away from the catcher. Roam bunted Rothermich to second and Mike Failoni found his stroke as he put the ball over the fence for the quick 2-0 lead.

Kyle Leslie scored in the second inning on a Nick Kolley single to put the Lions up 3-1 after two. Lindenwood added two more runs in the third when Nathan Prindle drove in Rothermich and Failoni scored after a Leslie single.

The Lions had a 5-2 lead after three and would run into big trouble in the bottom of the fifth. Dylan Terrell had a great first outing on opening day but could not repeat his performance against Augustana. Terrell surrendered seven runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.

Augustana put up nine runs in the fifth inning to take an 11-5 lead and won by that score. Leslie was the only Lion with a multi-hit game while Failoni had two RBI with two runs scored.

Game three was a high scoring game that featured 30 combined hits. Lindenwood was listed as the home team for the final game of the series and again put up runs early. Rothermich started the game off with a double and scored on an error. Failoni singled to send Roam to third and Prindle laid down a SAC bunt to bring in Roam.

Augustana scored four runs in the fourth but the Lions bounced back with a two-run fifth inning that included another run scored by Roam and a sac fly by Light to drive in Prindle. Ben Coudret singled to center in the sixth inning to bring in Marshall Vallandingham as the game was tied at 5-5.

Things got wild in the bottom of the seventh inning when Prindle was on first with two outs. Leslie singled to left and was followed up by a Vallandingham single that drove in Prindle. Mike Wilson walked to load the bases and Coudret was pelted by the pitch to bring in a run. Rothermich opened the inning up with a two-RBI single to center. Roam walked to load the bases for the second time in the inning as Kolley hit a two-RBI single to center of his own as the Lions put up six runs to take an 11-5 lead.

The Lions could not seem to put the game away as Augustana responded with and seven-run eighth inning and three more in the ninth for the 15-11 win and a three-game series sweep.

Rothermich hit .500 (7-for-14) with five runs scored, two doubles, and two RBI. Kolley and Roam each had four hits while Roam also added two stolen bases.

After the sweep Lindenwood falls to 2-3 on the year. The Lions will open up MIAA on the road in Topeka, Kan. to take on Washburn for a four-game series starting on Friday at 2 p.m.