The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles Baseball team overcame an early deficit against the Augustana Vikings on Saturday afternoon in the NSIC Tournament, but it wasn’t enough as the Vikings defeated UMC 6-5 ending the Golden Eagles season.
FIRST INNING –
UMC got a two out single in the top of the first from freshman Josh Dykhoff, but a Jake Hjelle lineout to left field would end the inning. After a leadoff flyout for Augustana in the bottom of the first, the next three hitters would reach on two singles and a walk to load the bases with just one out. Jack Hines would then hit a sacrifice fly for the Vikings to give them a 1-0 lead, and UMC starting pitcher Matt Nelson would pick up the final out after that sending us to the second inning with a 1-0 Augustana lead.
SECOND INNING –
UMC would get the run back in the top of the second inning. The Golden Eagles would get a leadoff double from Caden Headlee to start the inning, but he would be picked off of second for the first out of the inning. Ben Goelz would then drive a single up the middle, and after a flyout, Mitch Goodwin would draw a walk to put runners on first and second base with two outs. Matt Nunn would come up clutch for the Golden Eagles delivering a two out rbi single scoring Goelz and tying the game at 1-1. Augustana starting pitcher Ashton Michek would record a strikeout to end the inning and leave two UMC runners on base.
Augustana would get that run and more back in the bottom of the frame. The Golden Eagles would walk the bases with one out and make a pitching change bringing in Brody Sorenson. Sorenson would induce a fly out that would score a run, but with two outs, Parker Mooney would blast a three run home run over the scoreboard in right field for the Vikings to break things open as they took a 5-1 lead after two innings of play.
THIRD INNING –
UMC continued to swing the bats well and Mike Hallquist would knock a leadoff double to get things started in the top of the third inning. After a strikeout, Jake Hjelle would single and put runners on the corners with one out. Caden Headlee would then hit a groundout to third but Hallquist would come in to score and UMC would cut the deficit to 5-2 heading to the bottom of the inning.
Sorenson would head back out to pitch the bottom of the frame and work around a leadoff double to put up a scoreless frame for UMC. That gave Augustana a 5-2 lead after three complete innings of play.
FOURTH INNING –
UMC would continue to put pressure on Augustana and Mitch Goodwin would start the inning with a single to center field. After a strikeout, the Vikings would commit an error to put runners on first and second base. The Golden Eagles would then get back-to-back walks from Mike Hallquist and Josh Dykhoff to plate another run to cut the deficit to 5-3. With the bases loaded and just one out, Vikings pitcher Ashton Michek would work out of the jam with a strikeout and a lineout to keep the Vikings in front 5-3 as the Golden Eagles would leave the bases loaded.
With all the action in the first few innings, the bottom of the fourth was fairly quiet with nothing more than a two out double for the Vikings as Brody Sorenson pitched another scoreless frame for the Golden Eagles.
FIFTH INNING –
In the fifth, UMC again threatened but failed to score. After a leadoff flyout, the Golden Eagles got back-to-back hits from Sawyer Satrom and Mitch Goodwin to put runners on first and second base. That would be as far as they’d advance however, as a strikeout and weak flyout would end the threat and through five innings UMC had left 10 guys on base. In the bottom of the frame, Brody Sorenson had his best inning yet in relief retiring Augustana 1-2-3 on just six pitches to send us into the sixth with the Vikings still in front 5-3.
SIXTH INNING –
UMC started the sixth inning with Mike Hallquist getting hit by a pitch, and an Augustana error on a ball hit back to the pitcher, putting runners on first and second base with nobody out. After a flyout, a passed ball moved the tying run into scoring position putting runners on second and third base. Caden Headlee then delivered in the clutch with an infield single scoring Hallquist and pulling the Eagles within one run. Ben Goelz then did his job with a groundout to first base that would score Dykhoff, and UMC had tied the game at 5-5 with a two run top of the sixth.
The lead lasted only a few minutes as Tate Meiners hit a leadoff home run to start the bottom of the sixth inning to put Augustana back in front 6-5. They would go down quietly after that.
SEVENTH INNING –
The top of the seventh started with two groundouts with a single in the middle from Danny Wensloff. Josh Dykhoff would then do what he does best, which is work a great at bat and draw a walk putting runners on first and second base with two outs. NSIC Player of the Year Jake Hjelle would get an opportunity to do some damage, but the junior would swing through a breaking ball striking out to end the inning.
UMC would go to their bullpen once more and bring in Connor Richardson for the seventh inning on the hill. Augustana got a one out double from Jack Hines but that would be all, and the Vikings took a 6-5 lead into the eighth inning.
EIGHTH INNING –
UMC would have two quick outs in the top of the eighth, but Sawyer Satrom would connect for a two out broken-bat single to keep the inning alive. Augustana reliever and closer Adam Diedrich was solid in relief and picked up a strikeout to end the inning, meaning UMC was for sure going to be trailing by at least one run. Connor Richardson once again was lights out and kept the deficit at just one run for UMC, pitching a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth inning, sending the game into the ninth frame with Augustana three outs away from advancing.
NINTH INNING –
Two straight outs to start the top of the ninth quickly had UMC down to their final out of the season. Mike Hallquist would keep hope alive with a two out single to left putting the tying run on base and bringing up NSIC Freshman of the Year Josh Dykoff. Dykhoff would attack the first pitch and lift a ball out to left field, where Augustana would make the grab for the final out to defeat UMC 6-5, ending their season.
UMC finishes their season with a final record of 38-20 and a 26-10 record in the NSIC. It was one of the best seasons ever in Golden Eagle Baseball history. Augustana improves to 42-17 and will take on Minnesota State Mankato this evening for the right to go to the championship tomorrow against St. Cloud State.
FOR GOLDEN EAGLES COACH STEVE GUST’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
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UMC
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0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0 |
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Augustana
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1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 6 | 9 | 2 |
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Pitching
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IP
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BB
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| Matt Nelson- UMC | 1.1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Brody Sorenson- UMC (LP) | 4.2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Conner Richardson- UMC | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ashton Michek- Augustana | 5 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| Aidan Torpey- Augustana | 0.2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Adam Diedrich- Augustana (WP | 3.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
For UMC
Caden Headlee, 2 for 5, 2RBI
Mike Hallquist, 2 for 4, 2 Runs, Walk
Josh Dykhoff, 1 for 4, RBI, Run, 2 Walks
Mitch Goodwin, 2 for 4, Run, Walk
Ben Goelz, 1 for 4, RBI, Run, Hit by Pitch
For Augustana
Parker Mooney, 3 for 4, Home Run, 3RBI, Run
Tate Meiners, 1 for 3, Home Run, RBI, Run, Walk
Nick Banowetz, 1 for 3, Sac Fly, RBI, Run
