Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Tucson, Ariz. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team split a doubleheader with Augsburg College (Minn.) Saturday afternoon at the Tucson Invitational to open its spring trip.  The Eagles won game one, 15-8, before the Auggies came back to win the nightcap, 11-8.  UW-L is now 2-4 on the season.

In the opener, UW-L took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Taylor Kohlwey reached  on an error and scored on a double by Alex Cordova.  The Eagles added two runs in the second after Shane Adler led off with a single and scored on a base hit by Kohlwey.  Kohlwey then stole second and scored on a single by Bryce Barsness.

Augsburg plated two runs in the top of the third to cut UW-L's lead to 3-2, but Cordova led off the bottom of the third with a double and scored on a single by Travis Buxton-Verstegan giving the Eagles a 4-2 lead.

The Eagles erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fourth.  Josh Rowles led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrafice bunt from Kohlwey.  Barsness drove Rowles home with a base hit to left field to make it 5-2.  Cole Cefalu and Cordova followed with singles to load the bases.  Buxton-Verstegan then cleared the bases with a three-run double to right-center.  He later scored on an error.

Augsburg scored two runs in the top of the fifth fifth to cut UW-L's lead to 10-4.

Kohlwey added to the Eagles' lead with a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the fifth making it 11-4. The Auggies responded with four runs in the top of the sixth on the strength of four walks and three singles, cutting their deficit to 11-8.

UW-L came right back and scored four runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth.  Buxton-Verstegan reached on an error to lead off and scored on a double by Adler who moved to third on an error.  Tim Kehren then drove Adler home with a sacrifice fly.  Rowles doubled with two outs and scored on a two-run blast by Kohlwey, his second home run of the game.

Kohlwey, Barness, and Cordova each had three hits in the game while Buxton-Verstegan and Adler had two.

Joe Miller started for UW-L, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing eight hits, four walks and four runs while striking out two.  Travis Kruckow (2-0) earned the win in relief, pitching 0.2 of an inning. 

In the second game, Augsburg jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the bottom of the first on the strength of six hits and two walks.  The Auggies added three runs in the second to lead 10-0.

The Eagles got on the board in the top of the fourth after Cefalu singled and scored on a triple by Cordova.  Buxton-Verstegan followed with a two-run home run to right to cut the lead to 10-3.

UW-L added three runs in the top of the sixth sixth when Cefalu led off with a walk and scored on a double by Buxton-Verstegan.  Jake Paulson followed with a double down the left-field line scoring Buxton-Verstegan.  Alex Brown then drove Paulson home with a base hit to left cutting the lead to 10-6.

Augsburg added a run in the bottom of sixth to make it 11-6.

Kohlwey led off the top of the seventh with a single and moved to second when Cefalu drew a walk.  Cordova then singled Kohlwey home.  Cefalu scored the game's final run on a fielder's choice from Buxton-Verstegan.

Cefalu, Cordova, and Buxton-Verstegan each had two hits and combined for nine RBI.

Adler (0-1) took the loss for UW-L, allowing eight hits, nine runs (six earned) and two walks with one strikeout.

UW-L returns to action Sunday, March 16 versus Macalester College (Minn.) in Tucson.  First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. (Central Time).