The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Softball team’s Irelyn Spencer knocked in 10 runs to lead her team to a 12-4 victory in the first game and coasted to a 9-3 victory over the University of Mary Marauders in the second game of a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader played at the UMC Softball field.
UMC celebrated their seven seniors, Haley Koch, Evie Stuck, Brittney Mengel, Kailee Pollard, Emerson Thompson, Alexa Guilford, and Whitnee Curry.
UMC Seniors – Evie Stuck, Kailee Pollard, Emerson Thompson, Alexa Guilford, Brittney Mengel, Whitnee Curry, and Haley Koch.
GAME ONE –
FIRST INNING
Mary had a solid start to the game. A pitch hit the leadoff batter, and the next batter hit a home run over the left field fence for a 2-0 lead. The next batter reached on an error and stole second, and the next batter walked. After an out, a single scored a run for a 3-0 lead.
UMC’s Riley Blake (Sr. Marshalltown, IA) reached on an error before the next three batters were retired.
SECOND INNING –
Mary and UMC were both retired in 1-2-3 fashion for a quick inning.
THIRD INNING
Mary was retired in 1-2-3 fashion before UMC got the bats going in the bottom of the inning. Madisen Yandle (Fresh. Lakeville) led off with a double. After an out, Blake singled before Whitnee Curry (Sr. Lincoln, Neb) knocked in a run with a bunt single. Rayna French (Soph. La Salle, Manitoba) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Irelyn Spencer (Soph. Rapid City, SD) hit a bases-clearing double to give the Golden Eagles a 4-3 lead.
FOURTH INNING
Mary responded with a single, advanced on a ground out, moved to third on a fly out, and scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 4-4.
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
FIFTH INNING
The first two Mary batters grounded out before a single. The next batter struck out.
UMC opened things up in the bottom of the inning when Curry singled with one out. French walked and Spencer hit a home run over the left field fence to score three runs for a 7-4 Golden Eagle lead.
SIXTH INNING
Mary was retired in 1-2-3 fashion once again. In the bottom of the inning, Yandle got things going for UMC when she led off with a single. Chayse Doering (Fresh. Shakopee) reached on a fielder’s choice bunt, and Yandle was out at second base for the first out of the inning. Blake singled, and Curry reached on a fielder’s choice, and a run scored on an error for an 8-4 lead. French was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. Mary made their third pitching change of the game and that proved to be costly as Spencer blasted a high fly over the left field fence for a walk-off grand slam as the Golden Eagles won the game 12-4.
UMC’s Spencer was 3 for 4 with 10 rbi’s. 2 runs, a grand slam, a three-run home run, and a 3 rbi double.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
| Mary | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 1 |
For UMC-
Irelyn Spencer – 3 for 4, 10 rbi, 2 runs (2 home runs, including the walk-off grand slam)
Madisen Yandle – 2 for 3, run
Whitnee Curry – 2 for 4, 3 runs, rbi
Riley Blake – 2 for 4, 2 runs
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Alexa Guilford (W) – UMC | 5.0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Evie Stuck-UMC (WP) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arria Johnson-Mary | 2.1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Rojas Jayleen-Mary (LP) | 2.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Hailey Altenhof-Mary | 1.0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Hannah Chambers-Mary | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Game two –
FIRST INNING
Mary’s leadoff batter reached on an error before the next three batters were retired.
UMC’s Curry walked and moved to second base on a passed ball. After an out, Spencer walked, but the next batter hit into a fielder’s choice.
SECOND INNING
Mary had a batter reach on an error with one out before the next two batters were retired.
UMC got the scoring going in the bottom of the inning when Decker singled, Emerson Thompson (Jr. Lincoln, Neb) and Yandle walked to load the bases. Mary made a pitching change, and once again, it didn’t work as Doering grounded out and scored a run. Blake singled to score another run. Curry singled and another run scored to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead.
THIRD INNING
Mary singled with one out before the next two batters were retired.
UMC’s Koch led off the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle, and Decker walked. After an out, Yandle singled to score a run for a 4-0 lead.
FOURTH INNING
Mary started the inning with a double, and the next three batters were retired.
UMC’s Blake singled and advanced to third base on an error. Curry singled to score a run for a 5-0 lead. French singled, and after an out, Koch grounded out, and the Golden Eagles scored another run for a 6-0 lead.
FIFTH INNING
The first two Mary batters were retired, and after a single, the next batter grounded out.
UMC’s Yandle walked with one out, but the next two batters grounded out.
SIXTH INNING
Mary finally got on the board in the top of the sixth inning as they led off the inning with two singles and a home run to get within a 6-3 deficit.
UMC responded in the bottom of the inning when French doubled with one out. Spencer and Koch singled and scored a run for a 7-3 lead. Decker followed with a single to score a run, and Thompson grounded out, scoring another run for a 9-3 lead.
SEVENTH INNING
Mary had a one-out walk, and the next batter reached on a fielder’s choice, but UMC got the out at second base. After another walk, the Golden Eagles got the next batter to win the game 9-2 to sweep their second straight series.
UMC improves to 7-13 in the NSIC and 19-28 overall and will host Minot State for a doubleheader on Saturday. The first game will be on KROX Radio with the pre-game show at 11:30 a.m. Mary drops to 2-20 in the NSIC and 9-38 overall.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Mary | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| UMC | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 2 |
For UMC-
Rayna French – 2 for 3, run, double, walk, 2 stolen bases
Bryanna Decker – 2 for 3, run, rbi, walk
Riley Blake – 2 for 4, rbi, run, stolen base
Haley Koch – 2 for 4, 2 runs, 2 rbi, stolen base
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Evie Stuck -UMC (WP) | 5.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Kailee Pollard-UMC | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Arria Johnson-Mary | 2.1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Peyton Whitehead-Mary | 1.0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Elyssa Verploegen-Mary | 2.0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Arria Johnson-Mary | 3.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
