The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles softball team got one of the program’s biggest sweeps in conference play on Sunday when they beat the Wayne State Wildcats in Wayne, Nebraska. UMC won game one 4-2 and won game two 1-0 to complete the sweep.
GAME ONE –
FIRST INNING –
UMC started the game with a Riley Blake (Fresh. Las Vegas, NV) single. After an out, Rayna French (Soph. La Salle, Manitoba) singled, and Irelyn Spencer (Soph. Rapid City, SD) walked to load the bases. The next two batters were retired, and the Golden Eagle threat ended.
Wayne State started the bottom of the inning with a single before the next three batters were retired.
SECOND INNING-
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
Wayne State got on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a one-out walk, a single, and, with two outs, a double to take a 1-0 lead through two innings.
THIRD INNING-
UMC’s Whitnee Curry (Sr. Lincoln, Neb) singled, and French walked with one out. The next three batters were retired, and the Golden Eagle threat was over.
UMC pitcher Alexa Guilford (Jr. Crystal City, Manitoba) continued her outstanding pitching performance with a 1-2-3 inning, and Wayne State took a 1-0 lead into the fourth inning.
FOURTH INNING-
Haley Koch (Sr. Mondamin, Iowa) led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a passed ball. After an out, Madison Yandle (Fresh. Lakeville) tripled to score a run and then came into score on an error to take a 2-1 lead. Chayse Doering (Fresh. Shakopee) doubled. A pitch hit Blake, and Curry walked to load the bases. Wayne State made a pitching change, and French reached on a fielder’s choice as the Wildcats got the out at home. Spencer followed with a single to score two runs and give the Golden Eagles a 4-1 lead.
Wayne State answered in the bottom of the inning with a single, a sacrifice bunt, and a groundout to get within a 4-2 deficit.
FIFTH INNING-
UMC’s Koch reached on an error before the next three batters were retired.
Wayne State had a two-out single before the next batter grounded out.
SIXTH INNING-
UMC batters were retired in 1-2-3 fashion with three ground outs.
Wayne State got a one-out single before the next two batters were retired.
SEVENTH INNING-
UMC was, once again, retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
UMC’s Guilford finished the game strong as she retired the first two batters before a single. Guilford got the next batter to hit into a fielder’s choice and UMC picked up a big 4-2 victory.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| Wayne | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
For UMC-
Riley Blake, Whitnee Curry, Rayna French, Irelyn Spencer, Madisen Yandle, and Chayse Doering all went 1 for 3.
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Alexa Guilford (W) – UMC | 7.0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Taylor Coleman-WSU | 3.1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Sami Felt-WSU | 3.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Game two –
FIRST INNING-
UMC’s Curry belted a one-out double, and French walked before the next batter hit into a double play, and the half inning was over.
The first two Wayne State batters were retired before a walk and a line out, and the game was scoreless after the first inning.
SECOND INNING-
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with three strikeouts.
Wayne State started the bottom of the inning with a single and a double. With a one-out walk, the next batter walked to load the bases, and the next two batters were retired.
THIRD INNING-
Both teams were retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
FOURTH INNING-
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion again, and Wayne State had two walks and one out when the next two batters were retired.
FIFTH INNING-
For the fourth straight inning, UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
Wayne State started the bottom of the inning with a walk before the next three batters were retired.
SIXTH INNING –
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion again, but so was Wayne State, and the game was scoreless through six innings.
SEVENTH INNING-
With one out, UMC’s French walked, and Spencer reached on an error. The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch before Sydney McMurdie grounded out, but a run scored, and UMC took a 1-0 lead.
Wayne State started the inning with a single, but the next three batters were retired, and UMC held on for a 1-0 victory.
UMC improves to 17-28 overall and 5-13 in the NSIC and will host the University of Mary on Friday for a doubleheader. Wayne State drops to 25-19 overall and 10-9 in the NSIC.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wayne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
For UMC-
Whitnee Curry – 1 for 3
Rayna French – 0 for 1, 2 walks, run
Sydney McHurdle – 0 for 1, rbi
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Delaney Pinner -UMC | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| Grace Lucka-WSU | 7.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
