The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Softball team lost 1-0 in a pitchers dual to the Minnesota State-Moorhead Dragons in game one, but bounced back to earn a split with a 5-1 victory in the second game in a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader played in Moorhead on Saturday afternoon.
GAME ONE –
The first game was tale of two outstanding pitching performances and a reoccurring problem for the UMC Golden Eagle defense as an error cost them as Minnesota State-Moorhead edged Crookston 1-0.
The game didn’t look like it was going to be a pitchers dual as the first two UMC batters, Dana Zarn (Soph. Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Leah Macias (Jr. West Covina, CA) walked to start the game. The next three Golden Eagle batters were retired and MSU-Moorhead got out of a jam.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Dragons lead off batter reached on an error. After a ground out, MSU-Moorhead doubled to score a run for a 1-0 lead.
Neither team recorded a hit again until UMC’s Alina Avalos (Soph. Riverside, CA) doubled up the middle with two outs, but the next batter was retired and MSU-Moorhead held on to a 1-0 lead.
Neither team had a hit the rest of the way and Minnesota State-Moorhead held on for a 1-0 victory.
UMC only had two hits in the game with Alina Avalos and Hannah Macias (Jr. West Covina, CA) getting the hits. UMC’s Katie Humhej (Sr. Surrey, British Columbia) was the tough luck loser in the circle while pitching a complete game, six innings, and recording six strike outs, no walks and only allowing one run on three hits.
CLICK HERE FOR THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE
GAME TWO –
Minnesota State-Moorhead took the lead in the bottom of the first inning with a single and after the Dragon was caught stealing at second base, they had two more singles followed by a double to score a run for a 1-0 lead.
Neither team scored in the second inning, before UMC got on the board for the first time with a one-out Zarn single. Hannah Macias was hit by a pitch and her sister Leah Macias tripled to left field to score two runs for a 2-1 lead.
UMC got back at it in the top of the fourth inning when Cassie Querry (Sr. Cassville, PA) walked, Darian Pancirov (Sr. Las Vegas, NV) singled and after a pop out, Gabriella Blomdahl (Soph. Duluth) singled to score a run. Zarn followed with another single to score a run and the Golden Eagles took a 4-1 lead.
The UMC bats stayed hot with two more hits in the fifth inning, but they weren’t able to score a run and still had a 4-1 lead.
In the top of the sixth inning, UMC’s leadoff batter Blomdahl reached on an error. After an out, Hannah Macias walked and the runners advanced on a wild pitch. Leah Macias flew out to the second baseman but a throwing error allowed a run to score and UMC led 5-1.
In the seventh inning, UMC pitcher Sofia Gombos (Fresh. Salinas, CA) retired the Dragons in 1-2-3 fashion and UMC held on for a 5-1 victory to earn the split.
UMC was led offensively by Leah Macias who went 2 for 4 with 2 rbi’s and Dana Zarn who was 2 for 4 with a run and a rbi. Gombos picked up the win, pitching a complete game seven innings while scattering seven hits, striking out two and she didn’t walk a batter.
FOR THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE, CLICK HERE
