The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles softball team played in a doubleheader this weekend against the Minnesota Southwest State University (SMSU) Mustangs. After play was halted in the first inning of Game 1 yesterday, it resumed today and both games were completed in Marshall, Minnesota. SMSU took Game 1 11-6 with a powered offensive attack, before winning Game 2 5-2 to complete the sweep.
GAME ONE –
Before play was stopped yesterday due to rain, UMC was able to put up three runs in the top of the first inning. Brittney Mengel (Fr. Sullivan, Wis.) drew a leadoff walk, and after two outs, Shaelyn Grant (So. Grand Junction, Colo.) also walked putting runners on first and second base. Dana Zarn (Jr. Winnipeg, Manitoba) then smashed a double driving in both Mengel and Grant in for a 2-0 lead. Jenna Parfeniuk (So. Winnipeg, Manitoba) then knocked a base hit scoring Zarn for the early 3-0 lead.
The Mustangs came out firing as well getting five straight hits and scoring three runs to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the first inning. The rain then became too much, and the game was suspended to today.
With play picking back up today, the Mustangs would add four more runs before the first inning was over. A sac fly would bring another run across making it 4-3, and a 2-out rbi single followed by a 2-run triple, brought SMSU up 7-3 before the Golden Eagles were out of the first inning.
Unlike the rain, the runs continued to pour in. Mengel and Jordan Peterson (Sr. Lakeville, Minn.) would hit 1-out singles for UMC in the top of the second inning, and after a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning, Grant continued her strong game at the plate with a triple scoring Mengel and Peterson and making it 7-5 Mustangs. Zarn would follow it up with her second hit of the game scoring Grant, and UMC had cut the deficit to 7-6 heading into the bottom of the second inning.
The offenses started to slow down, and each team went until the fourth inning before getting another hit. Both teams would remain scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when SMSU would strengthen their lead. The Mustangs leadoff hitter would get hit by a pitch, and after a 1-out single a sac bunt would bring in a run making it 8-6 SMSU. UMC would have a chance to get out of the inning, but two batters later, a throwing error by the Golden Eagles would load the bases. SMSU would capitalize on the mistake and knock a base clearing triple to take a commanding 11-6 lead after five innings of play.
UMC would go 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth inning, and after holding SMSU scoreless in the bottom of the frame, they would have three outs left to try and pull off the late comeback. Grant would begin the inning with her third hit of the day and second triple, two batters later Parfeniuk would draw a walk putting runners on the corners with just 1 out. The Mustangs would tighten down defensively getting the last two outs and holding UMC off the scoreboard for an 11-6 victory in Game 1.
GAME ONE BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
For UMC-
Dana Zarn 2 for 4, 3 rbi, run
Shaelyn Grant 2 for 3, 2 rbi, 2 runs, BB
Brittney Mengel 1 for 3, 2 runs, BB
Jordan Peterson 2 for 4
Jenna Parfeniuk 1 for 3, rbi, BB
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| UMC | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3 |
| SMSU | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 11 | 11 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Thayda Houser- UMC (L, 7-11) | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nicole Deden- UMC | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Evie Stuck- UMC | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Shelby Bloemendaal- SMSU (W, 9-9) | 7 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
GAME TWO –
Just like Game 1, UMC was able to strike early and take the lead. Mengel led off the game with a leadoff single in the top of the first inning, and after a Mustangs error in Peterson’s following at bat, Grant would hit a groundball out scoring Mengel and giving the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead. Zarn continued her hot streak and hit another double scoring Grant to make it 2-0. SMSU would do damage control and trail 2-0 after the top of the first.
Annjelica Moreno-Engelbrecht (Jr. Oceanside, CA.) got the start in the circle for the Golden Eagles and pitched a solid bottom of the first inning keeping the Mustangs off the scoreboard while allowing just one hit. Gabriella Blomdahl (Jr. Duluth, Minn.) would record a 1-out single in the top of the second, but get left stranded on base, and after the Mustangs were held scoreless in the bottom of the frame, UMC would take a 2-0 lead into the top of the third inning.
UMC would threaten in the top of the third, with a leadoff walk from Grant, and a 2-out walk from Alyssa Stillman (Jr. Hortonville, Wis.), but both would be stranded on base. In the bottom of the third inning, the Mustangs would tie things up with a 2-out home run over the right-field fence. Moreno-Engelbrecht would work out of the inning for the Golden Eagles, leaving the game tied at 2-2 through three innings of play.
Again, UMC threatened in the top of the fourth, loading the bases on a walk from Bloomdahl, a Mustangs error, and another walk from Grant. With two outs and the bases loaded, Zarn would hit a line drive right at the CF, ending the threat and keeping the game tied at 2-2. In the bottom of the frame, SMSU would put two on but be held scoreless, leaving the game 2-2 with three innings left to play.
Stillman (BB) and Moreno-Engelbrecht (HBP) would both reach base in the top of the fifth inning for UMC, but again, the Golden Eagles would strand both and leave the game tied. The Mustangs would finally take advantage and score three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a UMC error, a walk, and two hits, one of which was a double driving in two runs.
Both teams would go quietly in the sixth inning, once again leaving UMC three outs and down multiple runs heading into the seventh. Zarn would give the Golden Eagles a little bit of hope with a leadoff single to begin the top of the seventh inning, but the next three UMC hitters would go down in order, giving the Mustangs their sweep with a 5-2 win in Game 2.
UMC falls to 15-38 on the season and 6-22 in the NSIC. They will wrap up their season tomorrow in Sioux Falls with a doubleheader against the Sioux Falls Cougars. Game 1 will start at 11:00 a.m. SMSU improves to 18-29 and 10-14 in the NSIC with the sweep.
GAME TWO BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
For UMC-
Dana Zarn 2 for 4, rbi
Brittney Mengel 1 for 4, run
Gabriella Blomdahl 1 for 2, BB
Alyssa Stillman 0 for 1, 3 BB
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| UMC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| SMSU | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Annjelica Moreno-Engelbrecht- UMC (L, 0-2) | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Thayda Houser- UMC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Karlie Miller- SMSU (W, 7-14) | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
