Story by Hunter Plante UMC –
Brandon, S.D. – After gathering 18 hits in the second game against Sioux Falls to earn the split on Saturday, Minnesota Crookston baseball was looking to kick-off NSIC play with a series win on Sunday.
Sioux Falls used a three-run first inning that propelled the Cougars to the 7-5 victory over the Golden Eagles.
Minnesota Crookston falls to 9-13 (1-2 NSIC) on the season.
The three-run first inning was started by Trey Hubers driving in a run on an RBI triple, which was his only hit of the game.
USF would add another in the third inning on an unearned run.
The maroon and gold wouldn’t go down quietly. Ben Thoma (R-Sr., C/3B, Clearbrook, Minn.) would come around to score on a Zeke Hass (Jr., OF, Eaton, Colo.) RBI single to left field. Ben Goelz (So., OF/LHP, Maple Lake, Minn.) would drive in a run on a double. Hass would later come into score on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Mitch Goodwin (So., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.).
The Golden Eagles would trail 4-3 heading into the fifth.
USF would get two back in the bottom of the fifth inning on an error.
In the sixth inning, the Golden Eagles would once again make it a one-run game. Teddy Giefer (So., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) would hit his first career home run, a two-run shot, to cut the lead to 6-5.
USF would add an insurance run in the eighth and the Golden Eagles would threaten with a pair of base runners but were shut down in the top of the ninth.
Minnesota Crookston collected eight hits on the day, led by a 2-3 effort from Giefer and a 2-4 effort from Brad Morris (R-Sr., OF, Aukland, New Zealand). Minnesota Crookston left 10 runners on base.
Conner Richardson (R-Jr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) picked up the loss on the day after going 4.2 innings and giving up six runs, just three of which were earned. Richardson falls to 1-2 on the season. Jake Osowski (So., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) came in for relief of Richardson and went 3.1 innings, while striking out two.
What’s Next
The Golden Eagles will continue conference play next week for three games with Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch with the Golden Bears on Saturday is set for 1:30 P.M.
BOX SCORE CLICK HERE
For UMC –
Teddy Giefer, 2 for 3, 2 rbi, run
Brad Morris, 2 for 4, run
Zeke Hass, 1 for 4, rbi, 2 runs
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| Sioux Falls | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 7 | 10 | 0 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Conner Richardson -UMC (L 1-2) | 4.2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Jake Osowski -UMC | 3.1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
