The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Baseball team committed five costly errors that allowed six unearned runs in an 11-3 loss to the #18 ranked Augustana Vikings in the Northern Sun Conference Baseball tournament. The loss likely ends the best season in program history. The team will find out on Friday if the win over St. Cloud State and losses to the second and third ranked team in the region will give them a boost. The NCAA will have a region tournament announcement show on Sunday.
The first inning was a tough one for UMC as they were retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Augustana’s Carter Howell got things going with a lead-off single. Max Mosser singled and the next batter tried to bunt and reached on a throwing error and a run scored for a 1-0 lead. The Vikings offensive continued an early onslaught as Will Olson doubled to score two runs for a 3-0 lead. After another single and an out, Riley Johnson singled to score another run for a 4-0 lead. “That is what they are capable of,” said UMC Coach Steve Gust. “They are good and one of the best teams in the country for a reason.”
Brock Reller (Sr. Grand Forks, ND) singled to lead off the second inning and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. The next two batters were retired before Landyn Swenson (Sr. Devils Lake, ND) walked and the Golden Eagles had runners at first and second base. The next batter struck out.
The bottom of the second inning didn’t start well for UMC as Augustana’s Mosser led off with a single, but he was picked off. The next batter walked and Coach Steve Gust decided it was time for a pitching change. The next two Vikings batters were retired and the score was still 4-0.
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the third inning.
Augustana had a two-out rally with a runner on first base. JT Mix singled and Howell walked to load the bases, but the next batter lined out and UMC got out of the big jam and Augustana led 4-0 after three innings.
It seems like every time a Golden Eagle batter is hit by a pitch it turns into a run and the fourth inning was another case. After a lead off out, Reller was hit by a pitch before he advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Scott Finberg (Sr. Stillwater) doubled to score a run to get UMC on the board and within a 4-1 deficit. Jake Hjelle (Fresh. East Grand Forks) was hit by a pitch and runners were at first and second with one out. Landyn Swenson (Sr. Devils Lake, ND) reached on a rare catchers interference call to load the bases. The next batter, Parker Stroh (Fresh. Grand Forks, ND) came up with a big-time single through the right side of the infield to score two runs and bring the Golden Eagles within a 4-3 deficit and runners at first and second base, still with one out. The next two batters were retired and UMC was right back in the game. “We didn’t roll over, that’s for sure. We got down early, but we battled all the way through a long day, added Coach Gust. “We left it all on the field and that’s all you can ask.”
As great teams do, Augustana took advantage of several UMC mistakes in the bottom of the fourth inning. After an out, the Viking batter was hit by a pitch and the next batter reached on a throwing error. UMC went with a pitching change and brought in Jake Dykhoff (Jr. Wadena). The first batter to face Dykhoff struck out before Riley Johnson singled and another UMC error allowed two runs to score. Jaxon Rosencranz followed with an RBI single and Augustana took a 7-3 lead into the fifth inning. “We just weren’t sharp defensively and we missed some spots on the mound,” added Coach Gust.
UMC’s first two batters in the top of the fifth inning were retired, but Reller hit a frozen rope off the top of the fence in right-center field for a double. The Golden Eagles’ Finberg had an outstanding eight pitch at-bat and drew a walk, but the next batter struck out. “You can make a case that that’s their two best pitchers on the mound that we faced,” said Coach Gust. “I thought we had some quality at-bats against them… but they are that good for a reason.”
In the bottom of the inning, Augustana walked with one out and the next batter was hit by a pitch, but the next two batters were retired and the Vikings led 7-3.
Errors continued to kill UMC as the leadoff Augustana batter tried to bunt and he reached on a throwing error that allowed him to advance to third base. The next batter flew out to score another run for an 8-3 lead.
The bottom of the seventh inning didn’t have a good start as the leadoff batter Howell tripled and scored on a single. Augustana added another run with a single for a 10-3 lead and then the lights went out. Literally, the lights at the stadium quit working and there was about a 20 minute delay. When the lights came back on, the next batter walked before UMC committed another error and Augustana scored another run for an 11-3 lead.
In the top of the eighth inning, UMC’s Hjelle and Swenson had back-to-back one-out singles, but the next two batters struck out and UMC still trailed 11-3.
In the top of the ninth inning, UMC had T.J. Hokanson (Sr. Chanhassen) pinch-hit and he was retired. Zimmerman reached on a walk and advanced to second base on defensive indifference. After a UMC strikeout, the sprinklers in the outfield turned on causing another stoppage of play at 11:58 p.m. Reller walked on four pitches, and the next batter struck out and Augustana won the game 11-3.
UMC drops to 26-11 on the year and will await the NCAA Regional Tournament committee’s decision on Sunday to see if they will play in the Central Region tournament. “I think the numbers across the board that we have should rank right up there with anyone else,” added Coach Gust. “It’s going to be what the selection committee decides and we will go with whatever they decide.”
Augustana improves to 35-10 on the season and will play Minnesota State-Mankato in the championship on Friday.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| AUGIE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | 11 | 13 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Matt Nelson – UMC | 1.1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Jake Osowski – UMC | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Jake Dykhoff – UMC | 0.2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jackson Schneider – UMC | 2.2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Trace Brayton – UMC | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jayden Grover – UMC | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Koby Bishop – AUGIE | 5.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Tanner Brown – AUGIE | 4.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
For UMC
Brock Reller – 2 for 3, run, double, walk
Landyn Swenson – 1 for 2, walk
Scott Finberg – 1 for 3, run, RBI, double, walk,
