The University of Minnesota Crookston only had four hits in the first game and found a way to win 4-2 and in the second game they had two home runs to win 6-3 to sweep the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears in a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader played in Crookston.
GAME ONE –
UMC didn’t waste any time in the bottom of the first inning when Ben Bryant (Soph. Fargo, ND) led off the inning with a double. Will Zimmerman (Sr. Park River, ND) was hit by a pitch and Mason Ruhlman (Sr. Algonac, Mich) reached on a fielders choice and a run scored for a 1-0 lead. After another Golden Eagle out, Scott Finberg walked and Jake Hjelle (Fresh. East Grand Forks) reached on a fielders choice and two runs scored on an error for a 3-0 lead. Hjelle scored on a wild pitch and the Golden Eagles led 4-0 after one inning of play.
Concordia-St. Paul answered with a run with a two out single to get within a 4-1 deficit. The Golden Bears added another run with a solo home run in the fifth inning to get within a 4-2 deficit.
In the sixth inning, Concordia-St. Paul had a hit but wasn’t able to score and in the seventh inning, the Golden Bears were retired in 1-2-3 fashion and UMC held on to win the game 4-2.
Jake Dykhoff (Jr. Wadena) picked up the win on the mound for UMC while pitching a complete game seven innings, while scattering seven hits, striking out a program tying record 14 batters and giving up two runs to improve to 3-0 on the year. Offensively, Ben Bryant, Mason Ruhlman, Bobby Chu (Sr. Redwood City, CA) and Landyn Swenson (Sr. Devils Lake, ND) had one hit apiece.
FOR THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
GAME TWO
Concordia St. Paul came out strong to start the game with a lead off walk and a single. After a ground out and a sacrifice fly the Golden Bears took a 1-0 lead. The next batter singled to score another run for a 2-0 lead. The next batter singled and Concordia-St. Paul took a 3-0 lead.
UMC wasn’t able to get much going offensively until the fourth inning when Ruhlman walked and stole second base. After two ground outs, Ruhlman scored to bring the Golden Eagles within a 3-1 deficit.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, UMC found their home run swing. Bryant led off the inning with a walk, Zimmerman singled and Ruhlman blasted the ball over the center field fence for a three run homerun for a 4-3 lead through five innings.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, UMC struck again. Jake Hjelle hit a solo home run for a 5-3 lead. Eli Jung (Jr. Dickinson, ND) walked and Swenson tripled to score a run for a 6-3 lead.
Concordia-St. Paul only had one hit in the last two innings and UMC held on for a 6-3 victory to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Hjelle was 3 for 4 with a home run. Brock Reller (Jr. Grand Forks) was 2 for 5 and Ruhlman was 1 for 1 with a home run, 3 rbi’s, 3 walks, and 2 runs scored.
Matt Nelson (Soph. Afton) picked up the win going five innings, while giving up six hits, three runs, while striking out four and walking two. Brody Sorenson (Fresh. Grand Forks, ND) earned the save going 1.2 innings, and only giving up one hit.
UMC improves to 15-1 overall and 11-1 in the NSIC. Concordia-St. Paul drops to 8-13 overall and 4-12 in the NSIC. The two teams will play at Noon on Sunday for a conference game and will play a second game right after that won’t count as a conference game.
FOR THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
