Nathan DeChaine became Morningside’s all-time home run king when he blasted the 37th home run of his career in a doubleheader against Augustana.

Nathan DeChaine became Morningside’s all-time home run leader in the first game of Thursday’s baseball doubleheader against NCAA Division II Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D.

DeChaine connected for a two-run blast in the top of the seventh inning of the opener for the 37th home run of his Morningside career. He broke the former Morningside record of 36 career home runs set by Jared Noteboom from 2007-10.

DeChaine, a two-time NAIA honorable mention All-American, is also the Morningside record holder with 175 career RBIs. He has collected 203 hits in 571 at-bats for a .356 batting average with 42 doubles, three triples, 37 home runs and 175 RBIs during his Morningside career.

Augustana won both ends of the twinbill with an 11-8 victory in the opener and a 10-3 triumph in the nightcap to remain undefeated at 11-0. The two setbacks dropped the Mustangs’ record to 6-9-1.

Augustana plated six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a 6-5 deficit in the opener. Riley Johnson hit a two-run single that put the Vikings ahead 7-6 before Sam Baier delivered the big blow with a three-run home run that made it 11-6.

The Mustangs scored two runs in the top of the seventh on DeChaine’s record breaking home run.

Morningside took a 1-0 led in the top of the first inning when Derek Clayton led off the game with a walk and scored on a double by Nathan DeChaine.

Augustana had four consecutive hits in the bottom of the second inning, including a solo home run by Jordan Barth and a two-run double by J.T. Mix, when it scored four runs to take a 4-1 lead.

The Mustangs staged a four-run uprising of their own in the top of the third to take a 5-4 lead. Mitch Kellogg and Derrick Johnson opened the inning with singles before Clayton reached on an error to load the bases. Dylan Mersola walked to force in a run before Jordan Pierce delivered the big blow of the inning with a three-run double that put the Mustangs up 5-4.

Augustana tied the score in the bottom of the third when Barth slugged his second solo home run of the game.

Morningside took a 6-5 lead in the top of the sixth when Pierce led off with a double, stole third and scored the go-ahead run when Andrew Kasperbauer reached on an error by the second baseman.

DeChaine went two-for-three with a home run, double and three RBIs and Pierce went two-for-three with a pair of doubles and three RBIs to lead the Mustangs in the opener. Dylan Mersola, Joe Genoways, Sam Huska, Mitch Kellogg and Derrick Johnson all had singles.

The Vikings led wire-to-wire in the nightcap after they scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Augustana had four hits in the inning, including a two-run single by Lucas Wylie and a RBI single by Barth.

Morningside scored all of its runs in the top of the second inning when Kasperbauer delivered a RBI single and Matthew Sanchez followed with a two-run home run for his first career Morningside home run.

A group of six Augustana pitchers limited the Mustangs to five hits in the seven-inning contest. Kasperbauer had a pair of singles, Sanchez slugged a home run, and Pierce and Huska each had singles.

Morningside will play a 2 p.m. doubleheader against York on Tuesday, March 20, in York, Neb.

Game One Box

Game Two Box