The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles Softball team lost to the Minot State Beavers 8-1 and 6-3 in a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader in Minot, North Dakota.
GAME ONE –
FIRST INNING
UMC’s Paige Shwaluk (Sr. Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) singled to start the game before the next three batters were retired. Minot State led off the bottom of the inning with a walk and stolen base. The next batter struck out before back-to-back doubles for a 2-0 lead.
SECOND INNING
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion. Minot State started the bottom of the inning with a single. The next batter reached on a fielder’s choice before the next Beaver batter reached on an error. After a lineout, UMC made a pitching change and brought in Evie Stuck (Jr. Papillion, Neb). She struck out the next batter and Minot State took a 2-0 lead into the third inning.
THIRD INNING
UMC started the inning with a ground out and a strikeout. Paige Shwaluk (Sr. Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) started a two-out rally with a single before Whitnee Curry (Jr. Lincoln, Neb) doubled to score a run to get within a 2-1 deficit. Minot State led off with a walk before they hit into a double play. The next batter walked before a flyout.
FOURTH INNING
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion. Minot State started the bottom of the inning with a double and a single to score a run for a 3-1 lead. A baserunner was caught stealing before the next two batters were retired.
FIFTH INNING
UMC started with a line out, S Juntunen reached on an error, Maddie Shwaluk walked. The next two batters were retired. Minot State’s first two batters were retired before the next batter reached on an error. The next batter walked before a double to score two runs for a 5-1 lead. The next batter singled to score a run for a 6-1 lead.
SIXTH INNING
The first UMC batter grounded out before E. Thompson pinch hit and singled, and Shaelyn Grant (Sr. Grand Junction, CO) doubled, but Minot State got an out at third base, and the next batter popped out. Minot State added some insurance runs with a leadoff single followed by a walk. After a strike out, a Beaver was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The next batter singled to score two runs for an 8-1 lead going into the seventh inning.
SEVENTH INNING
UMC’s B. Mengel singled, and after an out, Juntunen walked before she was retired on a fielder’s choice. The next batter was retired, and Minot State won the game 8-1.
GAME ONE BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| Minot St | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | 8 | 10 | 1 |
For UMC-
Paige Shwaluk – 2 for 4, run
Whitnee Curry – 1 for 1, rbi
E. Thompson – 1 for 1
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Eggers- UMC (L) Stuck – UMC |
1.2 3.1 |
4 4 |
2 4 |
2 1 |
1 3 |
2 2 |
| Pollard – UMC | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Floyd – MSU (W) | 7.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
GAME TWO –
FIRST INNING
UMC’s Rayna French reached on a one-out walk before the next two batters were retired. Minot State was retired in 1-2-3 fashion for a quick first inning.
SECOND INNING
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion to start the inning. Minot State led off the inning with a single and a double for a 1-0 lead. After two foul outs, the Beavers hit another double to take a 2-0 lead.
THIRD INNING
UMC was retired in 1-2-3 fashion to start the third inning. Minot State started the bottom of the inning with two singles, and after an out, they doubled to score two runs for a 4-0 lead. After another out, the Beavers doubled again to score a run for a 5-0 lead through three innings.
FOURTH INNING
UMC’s French singled but was retired on a fielder’s choice. H. Koch doubled, and the Golden Eagles had runners at second and third base, but the next two batters were retired, and the UMC threat was over. Minot State’s first two batters were retired before a single and a UMC error. The next batter singled, and a run scored for a 6-0 lead.
FIFTH INNING
Thompson started the inning for UMC with a single. Mengel followed with a single before the next two batters struck out. Dombrowski reached on an error, allowing two runs to score. Grant reached on another Beaver error to score a run, and UMC trailed 6-3. Minot State’s first two batters were retired before a single. The next batter lined out.
SIXTH INNING
UMC and Minot State were both retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the sixth inning.
SEVENTH INNING
UMC needed three runs to keep the game going, but all three batters grounded out and Minot State held on for a 6-3 victory to complete the sweep.
UMC drops to 12-34 overall and 5-17 in the NSIC and will travel to take on the University of Mary in a doubleheader on Sunday in Bismarck, North Dakota. Minot State improves to 20-15 overall and 15-7 in the NSIC.
CLICK HERE FOR THE GAME 2 BOX SCORE
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Minot St | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 10 | 2 |
For UMC-
Rayna French – 1 for 1, walk
B. Mengel – 1 for 2, run
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Houser – UMC (L) | 4.0 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
| Guilford – UMC | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Gabi Dawyduk-MSU (W) | 7.0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
