The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle baseball team got their offense going early on. Still, they cooled off as St. Cloud State grabbed the lead late on their way to a 7-3 victory and weekend series sweep at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud.
In the first inning, UMC found its offensive rhythm. After scoring just once and collecting three total hits in the doubleheader the day before, the Golden Eagles came out with three runs on five hits in the opening frame. Mason Ruhlman (Sr. Algonac, MI) got things started with a one-out double. After a strikeout, UMC did what they have done all season and get timely hits with two outs as the next four batters reached with a hit. Scott Finberg (Sr. Stillwater) got the Golden Eagles on the board by driving in Ruhlman with a double. Jake Hjelle (Fr. East Grand Forks) singled to advance Finberg and put runners on the corners. Landyn Swenson (Sr. Devils Lake, ND) and Carter Mulcahy (Fr. Perham) hit consecutive run-scoring singles to get off to the early 3-0 lead.
St. Cloud State answered with a run in the bottom half of the first without recording a hit. A leadoff walk came around to score for the Huskies after a stolen base, wild pitch, RBI groundout to cut the Golden Eagles lead down to 3-1 after one inning.
In the second, UMC got a leadoff walk that stole second. An infield single advanced him to third. They tried a first and third steal play, but the Huskies were ready for it and threw out the runner at the plate to end the inning without a run.
St. Cloud State got another run back in the bottom of the second inning. A leadoff double got to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single to make it 3-2. Two consecutive singles loaded the bases for the Huskies as they looked to tie or take the lead. But, UMC’s starting pitcher, Brody Sorenson (Fr. Grand Forks, ND), made a big pitch to get the batter to pop out right back to him on the mound to maintain the Golden Eagle lead.
In the third, UMC got a single and stolen base from Swenson with two outs, but a flyout ended the inning.
Sorenson also allowed a two-out single, but he got a swinging strike out to keep the lead at 3-2 after three innings.
In the fourth, UMC threatened to score with two outs after a hit by pitch and a single, with the runners both advancing to scoring position on a wild pitch. However, they were unable to get the timely hit.
The Huskies looked primed to score in the fourth after a leadoff triple followed by a walk and a hit by pitch to load the bases. UMC brought in a relief pitcher, Matt Nelson (So. Afton), to navigate the Golden Eagles out of the tough situation. Nelson succeeded as he could get a pop-up, look strikeout, and fly out to strand the three Huskie baserunners.
The Golden Eagles were retired in order in the top of the fifth for the first 1-2-3 inning of the game from either team.
Nelson got himself into a similar situation in the fifth inning. A hit by pitch and two walks loaded the bases with no outs for the second inning in a row for St. Cloud State. Yet, Nelson could work some magic once again and get out of the inning without a runner crossing the plate. He got two consecutive infield flies and got a pinch hitter to fly out to center field to keep the game at a 3-2 UMC lead.
The sixth inning for UMC at the plate was their second consecutive 1-2-3 inning as they continued to search for some insurance runs.
After not scoring with the bases loaded in the previous two innings, the Huskies were able to break through in the sixth inning with three runs. A leadoff double was followed with a single to put runners at the corners. A one-out single brought in the first run of the inning and tied the game at 3-3. The runners advanced on a passed ball, and then on a walk, they advanced again, with a run-scoring on another passed ball. After another walk loaded the bases, UMC went back to the bullpen with Garrett Hohn (Sr. Wausau, WI). Hohn got the first batter he faced to fly out for the second out but then gave up a four-pitch walk to score the inning’s third run. A flyout ended things in the sixth, but not before St. Cloud State grabbed the lead for the first time in the game at 5-3.
In the seventh inning, Brock Reller (Jr. Grand Forks, ND) reached on a two-out triple to give the Golden Eagles another two-out scoring opportunity. Still, they were unable to get the big hit leaving another zero on the board.
The Huskies got a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh inning without the benefit of a hit. It started with a leadoff walk. A flyout and a four-pitch walk followed, which prompted another pitching change for UMC as they brought in Raudel Wilson (Fr. Hercules, CA). The runners quickly stole a base to get into scoring position, but a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. A full-count walk brought in a run, and a wild pitch during the next at-bat allowed the second run to cross the plate. Another four-pitch walk forced another pitching change for the Golden Eagles. They brought in Gregory Diaz (Jr. Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic) to get the third out, and he did just that with a groundout to end the inning with UMC trailing 7-3.
UMC continued their cold streak at the plate in the eighth inning as they, again, were retired in order.
Diaz gave up a walk, and the runner got to second on a wild pitch, but he held St. Cloud State scoreless as well in the inning, keeping the score at 7-3 heading to the ninth.
UMC needed at least four runs to extend the game and to avoid the weekend sweep. They got a one-out single from Conner Fonger (Fr. Superior, WI), but the next batter grounded into a double play ending the game with the Golden Eagles falling by a score of 7-3.
UMC was able to out-hit the Huskies ten to nine, but the pitching staff allowed 12 walks and hit three batters giving St. Cloud State too many free baserunners to overcome. The loss completes the weekend sweep for St. Cloud State after the Golden Eagles had won the two previous meetings between these teams earlier this season in non-conference play.
FOR THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE.
UMC is now 17-6 overall, and 12-6 in Northern Sun Conference play. The Golden Eagles will look to get back on track this week when they host Northern State in a doubleheader on Wednesday and a weekend series with Bemidji State.
St. Cloud State improves to 15-10 overall and 13-7 in the NSIC.
