The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles Softball team lost to the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks 5-1 and 6-0 in a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader played at the Maverick Sports Dome in Mankato. The doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played in Crookston, but the games were moved due to weather.
GAME ONE –
FIRST INNING
The Mavericks got going early with a couple of balks and three stolen bases in the top of the first. They would score their first run of the afternoon on a sac bunt from Maddie Helin, which brought in Carly Kimmes. The Golden Eagles made good contact with the bat to start the game, but the first three UMC hitters were retired in seven pitches, leaving the score at 1-0 MSU-Mankato.
SECOND INNING
UMC’s pitching caused some trouble for the Mavericks, as Delaney Pinner (FR, Winkler, MB) struck out two Maverick batters with a fly out in between them. The Golden Eagles were also retired 1-2-3, keeping the Mavericks up 1-0.
THIRD INNING
MSU-Mankato’s Cheyenne Beherends went deep for a one run homer, but it was the only scoring of the inning. Pinner walked one batter, but she was left on base after a strikeout ended the top of the inning. Two groundouts and a swinging strikeout from UMC ended the inning, with the Golden Eagles trailing 2-0.
FOURTH INNING
Errors and walks put UMC behind the eight ball in the top of the 4th. With only one out, an error from left field and two walks loaded the bases for the Mavericks. MSU-M’s Marina Carter then hit an RBI-single to score Hannah Tong and increase the lead to 3-0. Sailor Hall tacked on an unearned run for the Mavericks after a fielder’s choice hit by Kimmes. Now down 4-0, UMC turned to Sydney McMurdle (FR, Twin Falls, ID) at pitcher, who threw a strikeout to end the half inning. In the bottom of the inning, Rayna French (SO, LaSalle, MB) was the first Golden Eagle to reach base. The other UMC batters were all retired, leaving the score 4-0 in favor of MSU-M.
FIFTH INNING
MSU-M added another run to their total to make it 5-0 as the Golden Eagles picked up their second out of the inning. Pinch runner Ireland Broderick was caught stealing second, but not before Helin made it from third to home. UMC built on the last inning with two hits. The first came from Madisen Yandle (FR, Lakeville, MN), who singled up the middle. Haley Koch (SR, Mondamin, IA) then doubled to right center to score Yandle and put the score at 5-1. Koch was left on second after a ground out which ended the inning.
SIXTH INNING
McMurdle got the Golden Eagles in a jam, as the Mavericks loaded the bases with just one out. McMurdle worked her way out of it with a strikeout and a flyout to centerfield, stranding all three MSU-M runners and keeping the score 5-1. UMC’s first two batters were retired in the bottom of the inning, but French gave UMC some life after she was hit by a pitch. Pinch hitter Emilee Haggadone (JR, Lincolin, NE) then singled up the middle, which sent French to 2nd. Both Golden Eagles were left on base after a strikeout ended the 6th, keeping the score 5-1.
SEVENTH INNING
With one out, UMC sent Alexa Guilford (JR, Crystal City, MB) to the circle to close the game. The next two batters for MSU-M were retired. UMC was unable to claw back into the game, with a strikeout and two ground outs sealing the 5-1 victory for MSU-M.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| MSUM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
For UMC-
Haley Koch – 1 for 3, 1 RBI
Madisen Yandle – 1 for 3, 1 run
Emilee Haggadone – 1 for 1
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Sailor Hall (W) – MSUM | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Delaney Pinner (L) – UMC | 3.2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Sydney McMurdle – UMC | 2.2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Alexa Guilford | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
GAME TWO –
FIRST INNING
UMC started Evie Stuck (SR, Papillion, NE) at pitcher for game two, and she had a solid start to the game as she struck out the first Maverick batter. UMC surrendered two hits but did not allow a run in the first inning. UMC’s Irelyn Spencer (R-SO, Rapid City, SD) was walked to start the bottom of the inning, but the next three batters were quickly retired to keep the score at 0-0.
SECOND INNING
MSU-M’s batters were retired 1-2-3 in the top of the inning. The same held true for the UMC, as their next three batters all struck out swinging to keep it 0-0.
THIRD INNING
The Mavericks were able to get back on track with a single from Marina Carter, who would score moments later off another single from Cheyenne Behrends. Behrends would score too after a ground out at third from MSU-M’s Izzy Hycnar, which made the score 2-0 Mavericks. The Golden Eagles had another quick bottom of the inning, as all three batters recorded outs.
FOURTH INNING
It was a bounce back inning for Stuck, as she saw three Mavericks get out on just five pitches. After one out, UMC had a single from Reyna French through the left side. She would make it to second by way of an Emilee Haggadone sac bunt, but she was left there after a Golden Eagle ground out to leave the score 2-0.
FIFTH INNING
With two outs, MSU-M had their lone hit in the inning. Stuck then struck out the next batter to end the top of the fifth. UMC used two pinch hitters in Bryanna Decker (FR, Roseville, CA) and Hannah Trzinski (FR, Steven’s Point, WI), but saw little results, as they too were held scoreless.
SIXTH INNING
An error from UMC led to an RBI-single to from Maddie Helin to score Izzy Hycnar and make it 3-0. MSU-M put up another run from a Hannah Tong fielder’s choice, which scored Helin. UMC opted to change pitchers with just one out, putting Gabrielle Gomez (FR, Lakewood, CA) in the circle to relieve Stuck. The Mavericks popped up to end the half inning on the ensuing at-bat. For UMC, Riley Blake (FR, Las Vegas, NV) was called to pinch hit with two outs and empty bases. She would ground out to first to close the 6th.
SEVENTH INNING
MSU-M wasted no time adding to their lead, as they started the inning with a walk and stolen base from Carly Kimmes, followed by a walk frim Behrends. A Hycnar double scored Kimmes, and Behrends scored on a bunt moments later to make it 6-0. The next two Maverick batters were taken out, and two were left on base. UMC was able to get a couple of runners on base in the bottom of the inning, after Haggadone was walked and Madisen Yandle reached on a fielder’s choice. Two strikeouts from the next two Golden Eagle batters ended the game, sealing the 6-0 win and a sweep on the day for MSU-M.
UMC is now 13-24 on the season. They’ll travel to Winona for a Sunday doubleheader with Winona State.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| MSU-M | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 1 |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
For UMC-
Rayna French – 1 for 3
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Brianne Stone (W) – MSUM | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Evie Stuck (L) – UMC | 5.1 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Gabrielle Gomez– UMC | 1.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Hannah Tong -MSUM | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
