UMC SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH SIOUX FALLS

The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles Softball team “hosted” a doubleheader against the University of Sioux Falls (USF) Cougars in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Sioux Falls won the first game 10-8 in nine innings, and UMC bounced back to win game two 6-4 to earn a split. 

GAME ONE –
Sioux Falls had a one-out double before the next two batters grounded out. UMC started the bottom of the inning with singles by Paige Shwaluk (Sr. Portage la Prairie, Manitoba), and Whitnee Curry (Jr. Lincoln, Neb). The next three Golden Eagle batters struck out, and the teams were scoreless after the first inning. 

Sioux Falls started the top of the second inning with a double and scored the first run of the game on a groundout for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, UMC’s Haley Koch (Jr. Mondamin, Iowa) walked, and Reagan Emerick (Jr. Macomb, Ill) laid down a sacrifice bunt to get the runner over to second base. The next UMC batter struck out before the Golden Eagles started some two-out magic. Maddie Shwaluk (Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) doubled, and Paige Shwaluk was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Curry singled to score two runs, and another run scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead after two innings.

Sioux Falls added another run in the top of the third inning with a solo home run to get within a 3-2 deficit. UMC was retired in the bottom of the inning with a Koch single, but no runs scored. 

Sioux Falls’ hot bats continued in the fourth inning with a leadoff single, and after a ground out, the next batter reached on an error. The next batter singled to score a run to tie the game at 3-3. The next batter singled to score two more runs, and then the Cougars added two more runs on a double for a 6-3 lead. UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the inning. 

In the fifth inning, Sioux Falls’ first two batters were retired, and after a single, the next batter was retired.  UMC had a big bottom of the inning when Curry singled, and Rayna French (Fresh. La Salle, Manitoba) hit a home run to bring the Golden Eagles within a 6-5 deficit. After a Sioux Falls pitching change, Shaelyn Grant (Sr. Grand Junction, CO) hit a home run to tie the game at 6-6

In the sixth inning, Sioux Falls was retired in 1–2-3 fashion. In the bottom of the inning, Maddie Shwaluk led off with a single and advanced to second base on a Paige Shwaluk sacrifice bunt. Curry singled to score a run, and the Golden Eagles took a 7-6 lead. The next two batters were retired.

In the seventh inning, the Sioux Falls leadoff batter struck out before reaching on a passed ball. The next batter grounded out before they scored a run on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 7-7.  In the bottom of the inning, UMC’s first batter struck out, and Koch reached on an error. The next batter lined out before Sophie Juntunen (Soph. St. Michael) singled, but the next batter flew out to retire the threat, and the game was tied at 7-7 after seven innings to force extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Sioux Falls’ leadoff batter reached on an error, and the next batter laid down a sacrifice bunt. The next batter flew out before a double to score a run for an 8-7 lead. UMC answered in the bottom of the inning when the lead-off batter flew out before Curry doubled, French reached on an error that allowed a run to score to tie the game at 8-8.

In the top of the ninth inning, the first two Sioux Falls batters were retired, but then the Cougars broke things open. Sioux Falls had back-to-back singles, forcing UMC into a pitching change. The next Sioux Falls batter walked to load the bases before a single that scored two runs for a 10-8 lead. The next batter grounded out. In the bottom of the inning, the first two UMC batters were retired before Juntunen was hit by a pitch before the next batter hit into a fielder’s choice and Sioux Falls won the game 10-8.

GAME ONE BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE

Game 1	1	2	3	4	5	6|7	8|9	R	H	E
USF	0	1	1	4	0	0|1	1|2	10	13	2
UMC	0	3	0	0	3	1|0	1|0	8	12	2

 

For UMC-
Whitney Curry – 5-5, 2 rbi, run
Maggie Shwaluk – 2-5, 2 runs, rbi

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
Evie Stuck (UMC) Alexa Guilford (UMC)	8.2 0.1	12 1	10 0	7 0	0 1	5 0
M. Duncan (USF)	4.0	7	5	4	1	5
O. Ott (USF)	5.0	5	3	2	1	2

 

 

GAME TWO –
Sioux Falls got on the board first in the first inning with back-to-back singles to start the game. After the next two batters were retired, the next batter doubled to score two runs for a 2-0 lead. UMC answered in the bottom of the first inning when Paige Shwaluk reached on an error and stole second base. After a groundout, French reached on a fielder’s choice to score a run, and UMC trailed 2-1 after the first inning. 

Sioux Falls had a one-out single before the next two batters were retired. In the bottom of the inning, UMC’s Thompson was hit by a pitch, Juntunen reached on an error. After a ground out, Paige Shwaluk tripled to score two runs to give the Golden Eagles a 4-2 lead. After a ground out, French singled to right field for a 4-2 lead. UMC opened the game up with a big Grant two-run home run for a 6-2 lead, forcing a Sioux Falls pitching change. 

After a scoreless third inning, Sioux Falls started the fourth inning with a double before a ground out. The next batter grounded out to score a run to get within a 6-3 deficit.  UMC’s first two batters were retired in the bottom of the inning. After a walk and a stolen base before a strikeout and UMC had a 6-3 lead. 

After a scoreless fifth inning, Sioux Falls started the sixth inning with a double and a pair of singles to score two runs and get within a 6-4 deficit. In the bottom of the inning, UMC led off with two walks, but the next three batters were retired and the Golden Eagles led 6-4. 

Sioux Falls needed to score two runs to tie the game or three to take the lead. The first two batters grounded out before the next batter walked. UMC retired the next batter to pick up the win 6-4 to earn the split in the series. 

UMC is now 8-22 overall and 1-5 in the NSIC and will host St. Cloud State on Tuesday for a doubleheader. Sioux Falls is 14-15 overall and 5-3 in the NSIC. 

CLICK HERE for the box score

Game 2	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
USF	2	0	0	1	0	1	0	4	10	2
UMC	1	5	0	0	0	0	–	6	7	0

 

For UMC-
Paige Shwaluk – 2-4, 2 runs, 2 rbi
Haley Koch – 2-4

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
T. Houser – UMC	5.0	10	4	4	1	4
A. Guilford – UMC	2.0	0	0	0	1	0
C. Patrick – USF	1.2	4	6	5	0	0
K. Kotlarz – USF	4.1	3	0	0	4	3