UMC BASEBALL REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN NSIC PLAY FOLLOWING SWEEP OF CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL

The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles baseball team completed their second straight three-game sweep to start conference play following a 4-3 win over Concordia-St. Paul on Monday afternoon in an NSIC game played in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Minnesota Crookston’s bats got to work in the second inning. With one out Mason Ruhlman (Jr., Algonac, MI) belted an opposite-field triple into left-center field allowing Travis Conoryea (R-Soph., Inver Grove Heights) to score from first base giving the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead. Griffin Fussy (R-Soph., Ham Lake) walked to put runners on the corners before Fussy advanced to second base on a wild pitch. A soft line drive hit by Bryce Jorgenson (Jr., Thunder Bay, Ontario) deflected off the glove of the Concordia-St. Paul shortstop allowing Jorgenson to reach base safely loading the bases with one out in the inning. With the bases full, Landyn Swenson connected on a line drive into right field plating Ruhlman and Fussy pushing Minnesota Crookston’s lead to 3-0. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third base. After Reed Hjelle (Sr., East Grand Forks) walked to reload the bases a pop-up to the shortstop provided the second out of the inning. A bases-loaded strikeout concluded the inning, but not before UMC claimed a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second inning. Concordia-St. Paul took two runs back in the bottom of the second off of an RBI single and sacrifice fly bringing the Golden Bears within 3-2 after two innings. A bunt down the third base line loaded the bases for Concordia-St. Paul with no outs in the bottom of the third inning. Nate Albrecht (Sr., Wahpeton, ND) picked up a strikeout before dialing up a groundball to the shortstop for a 6-4-3 double play to escape the third inning unscathed with Minnesota Crookston’s 3-2 lead still intact. The Golden Eagles added to their lead in the fifth inning with a Mason Ruhlman fly out to left field allowing Travis Conoryea to score from third base boosting UMC’s advantage to 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Louis Gerzin (Sr., Ely) took the bump in the sixth inning inheriting runners on first and second base. After making an out at first on a sacrifice bunt that moved both runners into scoring position Gerzin induced a lineout to third base for the second out of the inning. With the tying run on second base and two outs in the inning, Gerzin forced a pop up to his second baseman ending the sixth inning with UMC still in front 4-2. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Concordia-St. Paul pulled within 4-3 after a triple to right field which also put the tying runner on third base. Dalton Grose (R-Soph., Waterville) entered from the bullpen with the tying run 90-feet from home plate and induced a flyout to left field ending the seventh inning with Minnesota Crookston in front 4-3. Grose closed out the final inning on the mound for UMC not allowing a batter to reach base in the ninth inning as Minnesota Crookston completed the three-game sweep over Concordia-St. Paul with a 4-3 win. 

The Golden Eagles improve to 13-7 overall and 6-0 in NSIC games. Minnesota Crookston returns to the diamond on Tuesday morning for a doubleheader against Minnesota State-Mankato beginning at 10 a.m. in Mankato. Concordia-St. Paul drops to 11-8 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

For UMC
Travis Conoryea – 3-4, 2 runs, walk
Ben Thoma – 2-4