The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle baseball team couldn’t get anything going in any aspect, and that led to #8 in the nation MSU-Mankato Mavericks taking full control, winning 23-3 on Friday afternoon.
FIRST INNING
The theme for the Mavericks throughout the afternoon was extra-base hits, and they started quickly in this one, as two doubles, one from Aidan Byrne and one from Ike Mezzanga, to get out to an early 1-0 lead. Then, Louis Magersstruck out swinging, but the ball went to the backstop and Mezzanga scored to make it 2-0 Mavericks. They looked to continue to push, but a clutch strikeout by Kyle Odenbach ended the rally at just two runs.
UMC looked to bounce back immediately, and after back-to-back singles from Dylan Debilzen and Josh Dykhoff, Brock Larsen delivered with two outs, driving in one to cut the lead down to 2-1, where it would stay until the end of the inning.
SECOND INNING
The second inning is when the game began to open up for the Mavericks. Fleischhacker was the first to drive in a run, hitting the third of three consecutive singles to put the Mavericks up 3-1. An RBI groundout made it 4-1, and then Magers drove a ball down the right field line, driving in two more runs to make it 6-1. The Mavericks wouldn’t stop there, as a gaff by UMC catcher Danny Wensloff allowed Magers to score the team’s 7th run, and after another error, a double by Zach Stroh drove in the team’s 9th run, capping off a 7-run inning, ending it with a 9-1 lead.
Danny Wensloff looked to start a potential comeback with a leadoff base hit up the middle, but after a Kyler Miller force play at 2nd, two quick strikeouts ended any threat for the Golden Eagles.
THIRD INNING
After Byrne got his 3rd hit in 3 innings to lead off the inning, Aaron Norland got two quick outs and almost got out of the inning unscathed, if it wasn’t for Brandon Vicko, whose triple down the right field line put the Mavericks to double figures at 10-1. They would go down quietly the rest of the inning.
UMC would have their best offensive inning in the 3rd. After two quick outs, Larsen walked and Kobe Senn reached on an error, and it was capped off by Aaron Wensloff with a two-out, two-run single to cut the lead to 10-3, which would stick headed into the fourth.
FOURTH INNING
Besides a one-out Stroh single, the Mavericks went down quietly in the 4th, on a groundout and two loud flyouts.
UMC would not fare much better in the 4th. Sawyer Satrom would single with one out, then Debilzen grounded into a force play at second. Debilzen is the team’s best base stealer, but not on this occasion, as Vicko gunned him down to end the inning.
FIFTH INNING
In the fifth, MSU-Mankato took full and complete control of the game. After a leadoff double and a flyout, Magers homered to right center to put the Mavericks up 12-3. Vicko was next, and he too cleared the yard to make it 13-3 on back-to-back homers. UMC head coach Steve Gust would make a pitching change, but the next 4 batters would all reach, including Logan Miller scoring on a Kyler Miller error, and Berry scoring on a wild pitch, making it 15-3. Then, after loading the bases, Coach Gust made another pitching change, and this resulted in even more runs, coming in the form of an RBI single, sacrifice fly and a wild pitch, the last of 11 thrown by Golden Eagle pitchers, finally ending the fifth inning with the Mavericks grasping to an 18-3 lead.
UMC didn’t give up in the 5th. With one out, Americo Sculati singled, and Larsen and Senn followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases. However, a strikeout and subsequent popout by the Wensloff brothers ended the frame, stranding all three baserunners.
SIXTH INNING
No lead was big enough for the Mavericks, and Lincoln Berry showcased that, as he hit a home run after a leadoff double to get the Mavericks to 20, leading 20-3. They were retired in short order after that.
UMC would get a one-out walk by Satrom, but beyond that were kept in check in the home half of the 6th.
SEVENTH INNING
In the 7th, the relentlessness of the Mavericks continued to push the narrative. After a one-out walk, pinch hitter Cal Ranweiler doubled in a run, then Berry followed that up with his second home run of the day and the fourth for the team, ending their offensive day with an impressive 23 runs scored.
UMC would go down quietly in the 7th besides a one-out walk, ending the game with a 23-3 loss via run rule.
UMC falls to 18-20 on the year, 15-13 in the NSIC. MSU-Mankato is now 33-4 on the season.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Mankato | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 19 | 1 |
| UMC | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
For UMC-
Brock Larsen – 1 for 1, RBI, 2 BB, R
Aaron Wensloff – 1 for 3, 2 RBI
Dylan Debilzen – 1 for 3, R
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Sam George – MSU (W) | 5.0 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Chas Mervin – MSU | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kyle Odenbach – UMC (L) | 1.1 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| Aaron Norland – UMC | 3.0 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
