The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles Baseball team needed to win all three games against the University of Mary this weekend to have a chance at making the Northern Sun Conference tournament, but the University of Mary needed to win all three games to assure themselves of a trip to the tourney as well. Mary would use excellent pitching and timely hitting to sweep a Friday doubleheader 4-2 and 5-4 in Crookston.
GAME ONE –
The Univesity of Mary came out swinging to start the game as they started with back-to-back singles. After Jake Dykhoff (Jr. Wadena) stuck out the next batter, Mary followed with a double to score one run. After another strikeout, Mary singled again to score a run for a 2-0 lead, and another run came into score after an error on the right fielder for a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, UMC only sent four batters to the plate after a hit batter, and Mary led 3-0 after one inning.
In the top of the second inning, Dykhoff didn’t have any problems with the Marauder’s bats as he retired three of the four batters he faced with the one reaching on an error.
UMC had a threat in the bottom of the inning when Ben Goelz (Soph. Maple Lake) started with a single, Paxton Nelson (Jr. Spicer) reached on an error when he tried to bunt. With runners at first and second base, the next two batters struck out before a Golden Eagle grounded out, and the threat was over.
In the top of the third inning, Mary continued their hitting ways with a leadoff single and a bunt single. Dykhoff struck out the next three batters to get out of the inning.
The pitchers were on their game for the next several innings until the sixth inning when Crookston finally scored a run on a Jake Hjelle (Soph. East Grand Forks) home run to get within a 3-1 deficit.
UMC made a pitching change going into the top of the seventh inning and the first Mary batter struck out, but that was followed with a single, a walk, and a fielder’s choice. The next Marauder batter singled to score a run for a huge insurance run and a 4-1 lead with two outs. UMC made a pitching change after the run scored.
In the bottom of the inning, UMC’s Paxton Nelson hit a solo homerun to bring the Golden Eagles within a 4-2 deficit and that would be as close as they would get as Mary held on for a big 4-2 victory.
The loss pretty much assures the Golden Eagles won’t make the playoffs.
| Box Score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Mary | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
For UMC-
Paxton Nelson – 1 for 3, home run
Jake Hjelle – 1 for 3, home run
GAME TWO –
It was a pitcher’s duel in the first seven innings, with the only two runs scored by the University of Mary coming on solo home runs in the third and sixth inning for a 2-0 lead.
In the eighth inning, Mary added another run on a double and a single for a 3-0 lead.
UMC responded in the bottom of the inning when Mitch Goodwin (Soph. Prior Lake) walked, T. Giefer singled and Thomas Jochen (Sr. San Jose, CA) doubled in a run. Brad Morris (Sr. Auckland, New Zealand) singled in two more runs and the game was tied 3-3.
Mary had a huge top of the ninth inning with a leadoff walk and a two-run home run to take a 5-3 lead. UMC got out of the inning with a big double play.
In the bottom of the inning, Chad Musser (Sr. Plymouth) was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Zeke Hass (Jr. Eaton, CO) reached on a throwing error before Nunn hit a sacrifice fly that scored a run to get within a 5-4 deficit. The next two batters were retired and Mary held on for a 5-4 victory to sweep the double-header.
UMC drops to 9-16 in the NSIC (17-27 overall) and will miss the playoffs after the two losses. Mary improves to 16-17 in the NSIC (24-24 overall) and has assured themselves of an NSIC tournament spot as the top eight teams make the playoffs.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Mary | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
For UMC-
Teddy Giefer – 2 for 4, run
Chad Musser – 1 for 3, run
