HILO, Hawai`i—Augustana's Jacob Blank threw four nearly perfect innings and his Viking teammates lashed out 19 hits and scored 15 times during a season-opening 15-4 win over Hawai`i Hilo on Thursday night at Wong Stadium.

Blank, a First-Team NCAA Division II All-American last year, tossed the opening four innings and allowed only one hit. Designated to go no further than that by his coach Tim Huber, he fanned seven batters to get the win. Last year, he was 10-0 with a 0.78 ERA.

Blank's offense did their part as well. They reached base early and often against three different Vulcan pitchers, lashing out 15 singles, two doubles, a triple and a home run. The Vikings built a 11-0 lead through the top of the fifth before the home team got on the board. The Vulcans scored all of their runs during a four-run fifth inning.

Jonathan Segovia went 3-for-4 to lead the Vulcan offense. He also scored a run and drove in another. Designated hitter Micah Carter had two hits. Phillip Steering and Dylan Sugimoto had a hit each and drove in a run.

Sam Baier had a home run and drove in four RBI for the Vikings, who are predicted to finish second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Lead-off hitter Riley Johnson was a sizzling 6-for-6 and scored four times.

The two teams will square off on Friday in a doubleheader set to begin at 4 pm. The four-game series will conclude on Saturday with a 2 pm single game.