The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles Baseball team battled the Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) Mustangs in a doubleheader on Saturday evening. The Mustangs won Game 1 7-2 before the Golden Eagles bounced back in Game 2 winning 12-2 to earn the split.
GAME ONE –
UMC’s only runs in Game 1 came in the top of the first inning. Brad Morris (Sr. Auckland, New Zealand) reached on an error to start the inning, and after stealing second base, would advance to third base on a wild pitch. Ben Thoma (Sr. Clearbrook, Minn.) would then hit a 2-out home run to put the Golden Eagles in front 2-0.
Conner Richardson (Jr. Grand Forks, N.D.) got the start for the Golden Eagles on the mound and would pitch two scoreless innings keeping UMC in front 2-0 after two complete innings. After UMC went 1-2-3 in the top of the third inning, the Mustangs would connect for a home run in the bottom of the frame to cut the Golden Eagles lead in half at 2-1.
UMC once again couldn’t get the offense rolling in the fourth inning, and the Mustangs would take control of the game for good in the bottom of the fourth scoring five runs. After the leadoff man walked, SMSU would hit another home run to take a 3-2 lead. After another single and a UMC error, the Mustangs would knock a double to right-center scoring two more to go in front 5-2. Jackson Schneider (Jr. Forest Lake, Minn.) would then relieve Richardson on the mound and get UMC back into the dugout, but not before the Mustangs would bring across 1 more run to take a 6-2 lead after four innings of play.
The Mustangs would add one insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-2 lead and keep the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard the rest of the game for a 7-2 victory.
The Golden Eagles did load the bases in the top of the sixth inning with singles from Jake Hjelle (So. East Grand Forks, Minn.), Ben Goelz (So. Maple Lake, Minn.), and a walk from Mitch Goodwin (So. Prior Lake, Minn.), but all three would be left stranded on base. At one point in the game, SMSU had retired 10 straight Golden Eagle hitters.
GAME ONE BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
For UMC –
Ben Thoma 1 for 3, HR, 2 rbi, run
Jake Hjelle 1 for 3
Ben Goelz 1 for 3
Chad Musser 1 for 3
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| UMC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| SMSU | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 2 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Conner Richardson- UMC (L, 1-7) | 3.1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Jackson Schneider- UMC | 1.2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Phil Hindes- UMC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ryan Chmielewski- SMSU (W, 3-5) | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 |
GAME TWO –
UMC responded with the bats in game two for a 12-1 win to earn the split. After both teams went scoreless in the first inning, the Golden Eagles got on the board in the top of the second inning thanks to some mistakes from SMSU. Goodwin walked, Teddy Giefer (So. Courtland, Minn.) walked, and Morris and Matt Nunn (Jr. Edina, Minn.) were both hit by pitches bringing Goodwin across for the first run of the game. The Golden Eagles would leave the bases loaded taking a 1-0 lead.
Both teams would go scoreless in their next plate appearances, and the Mustangs would tie the game in the bottom of the third inning. The first two hitters would reach base in the inning, and after a wild pitch, SMSU would hit a sacrifice fly tying the game. Alex Koep (So. Parkers Prairie, Minn.) got the start on the mound for UMC and worked out of the inning allowing just the one run, leaving the game tied at 1-1 after three innings of play.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth inning, and UMC would then take the lead for good in the top of the fifth inning.
Hjelle got UMC back on the board with a solo home run, and after Thoma reached via an error, Goelz would smack a double to right-center scoring Thoma and making it 3-1. UMC would score one more in the inning and claim a 4-1 lead.
The Golden Eagles would continue to build the lead the rest of the game and score three more in the fifth inning, and five in the eighth inning to pull ahead 12-1. Hjelle led the way for UMC offensively with four hits in the game and Goelz, Tyler Jochen (Sr. San Jose, CA.), and Nunn all had multiple hits as well.
The Mustangs would get back one run in the bottom of the eighth inning, but after UMC got out of the inning, the game was over as the 10-run rule was in effect, giving the Golden Eagles the 12-2 win. Koep went 7 strong innings allowing just 1 run to earn the win and Brody Sorenson (So. Grand Forks, N.D.) pitched 1 inning in relief.
UMC is now 15-22 and 7-11 in the NSIC with the split. Game three of the series against SMSU will be played tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m. SMSU is now 9-24 and 2-19 in the NSIC.
GAME TWO BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
For UMC –
Jake Hjelle 4 for 6, HR, 2 rbi, 2 runs
Ben Goelz 3 for 4, 3 rbi, 2 runs
Tyler Jochen 2 for 4, HR, 2 rbi, run
Matt Nunn 2 for 3, rbi, run, BB
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E |
| UMC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 0 |
| SMSU | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Alex Koep- UMC (W, 3-4) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| Brody Sorenson- UMC | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
