UMC BASEBALL SPLITS NSIC DOUBLEHEADER WITH SIOUX FALLS

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles Baseball team picked up a split on Saturday against the Sioux Falls Cougars to begin NSIC Conference play, with a 3-2 loss in game one, before erupting offensively for 17 runs in game two in a 17-7 win. Both games were played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  

GAME ONE –
The first game of the day was a seven-inning affair while the second contest was a nine-inning game. Jake Dykhoff (Jr. Wadena, Minn.) got the start for UMC in game 1 and pitched three scoreless innings to start the afternoon, which included getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the third inning. Unfortunately for UMC, their bats were quiet as well, and the Golden Eagles only mustered 1 hit in the first three innings, off the bat of Tyler Jochen (Sr. San Jose, Ca.)

UMC would get on the board though in the top half of the fourth inning, on a two-run home run from Ben Thoma (Sr. Clearbrook, Minn.), scoring Jake Hjelle (So. East Grand Forks, Minn.) who singled in the prior at-bat, to give the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead. B. Morris would walk later in the inning, but the Golden Eagles would go quietly the rest of the way, taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth. Sioux Falls would go three up three down in the bottom of the fourth, as Jake Dykhoff would record two more strikeouts in the process.

UMC would get a one-out single from Matt Nunn (Jr. Edina, Minn.) in the top half of the fifth, but the Golden Eagles would be unable to move him off first base, keeping the game at 2-0 UMC heading to the home half of the inning. Sioux Falls would get one run back in the bottom of the fifth to shrink the UMC lead down to 2-1 going into the last two innings. The leadoff batter for Sioux Falls would single to start the inning, and after a wild pitch that moved him over to second, a single would plate their first run of the game. Dykhoff would recover from there and get the next three hitters for Sioux Falls out, preserving the lead.

Thoma would record his second hit of the game in the top of the sixth, but a double play would wipe away the UMC scoring chance, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth with the Golden Eagles still in front 2-1. Sioux Falls would get a leadoff single to start the home half of the sixth inning, but the Golden Eagles would double the runner off of first on a flyout to CF ending the inning and putting UMC three outs away from securing their first conference win of the season.

Jack Peppel (Sr. Olivia, Minn.) would walk in the top of the seventh inning, but UMC would go down without adding an insurance run, sending Dykhoff back out to the mound to try and complete the UMC win. Dykhoff would record the first two outs of the inning, but Sioux Falls would create a late rally to steal the game away from the Golden Eagles. After a two-out walk and a steal, Sioux Falls would knock through a single and tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Sioux Falls player who hit the single advanced to second on the UMC throw to the plate and the next batter for Sioux Falls would proceed to then knock another base hit scoring the third and final run, for a walk-off win for Sioux Falls 3-2.

GAME ONE BOX SCORE – CLICK HERE

For UMC

Ben Thoma – 2 for 3, HR, 2 rbi, run
Jake Hjelle – 1 for 3, run
Matt Nunn – 1 for 2

GAME TWO –
UMC struck first in game two scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. After Matt Nunn and Tyler Jochen both reached base, Jake Hjelle would ground out but bring Nunn across to score. Ben Thoma would be hit by a pitch, and two batters later Zeke Hass (Jr. Eaton, Colo.) doubled driving in two runs giving UMC the early 3-0 lead. Sioux Falls would counter back with one run in the bottom half of the inning, but it was quickly erased with two more UMC runs in the top of the second giving the Golden Eagles a 5-1 lead.

Both teams would have one two three innings the next time up, and Sioux Falls would pull within two runs at 5-3 on a 2 out blast over the centerfield fence. The Golden Eagles would limit the damage from there and preserve the lead. UMC would get another back in the top of the fourth inning on a two-out single from Matt Nunn scoring Mitch Goodwin (So. Prior Lake, Minn.) who doubled the at-bat before, giving UMC a 6-3 lead. Sioux Falls would escape out of the inning and add another run on a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, making it 6-4 UMC after four innings of play.

UMC would have their biggest inning in the fifth, scoring five runs to take a commanding 11-4 lead. After Hass doubled in Hjelle to make it 7-4, Goodwin would come to the plate later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs. Goodwin would single scoring two runs, and he along with the other base runner would end up coming all the way around to score after a throwing error from the first basemen on the cutoff throw home. Sioux Falls would get the last out of the inning via strikeout, but the damage was already done with UMC in front 11-4.

The Golden Eagles pitching staff did a great job keeping Sioux Falls at bay the next several innings, and in the top of the eighth inning, Ben Thoma delivered a two-run shot over the centerfield fence for his second home run of the day, giving UMC a 13-4 lead. The bats for both teams awoke late in the game, as Sioux Falls would score three runs in the bottom of the eighth, and UMC would answer back with four of their own in the top of the ninth, before Isaac Roers (Fr. Stacy, Minn.) got the final out in the bottom of the ninth inning securing the 17-7 win for UMC, earning the Golden Eagles a split on the afternoon.

UMC is now 9-12 on the season and 1-1 in NSIC play with the split, and game three of their series against Sioux Falls will take place tomorrow. The first pitch from Sioux Falls, South Dakota is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Sioux Falls is now 9-8 and 1-1 in the NSIC.

GAME TWO BOX SCORE – CLICK HERE

For UMC –

Mitch Goodwin 4 for 5, 3 rbi, 4 runs
Ben Thoma 2 for 4, 2 rbi, 3 runs
Jake Hjelle 3 for 6, 4 rbi, 2 runs
Zeke Hass 3 for 5, 3 rbi, run
Matt Nunn 2 for 5, rbi, run

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