(St. Cloud, Minn.) – The University of Minnesota, Crookston Women's Softball team opened the 2011 season on Saturday at the Husky Dome Invitational in St. Cloud, Minn. The Golden Eagles fell 8-0 to Southwest Minnesota State before defeating Northern State University 4-3 on a walk-off single by Steph Thomas (P/DP, 5-9, Sr, St. Albert, Alberta) that scored Kayla Bowar (SS, 5-4, Sr, Moorhead, Minn.).

The Golden Eagles ran into a dialed in pitcher in SMSU's Ali Honken as she struck out 13 UMC batters in the two-hit shutout. Thomas and Sarena Diederichs (C, 5-8, Sr, St. Cloud, Minn.) earned the two hits for Minnesota, Crookston.

The Golden Eagles rebounded in game two against Northern State University to earn the victory. UMC went down 1-0 in the first inning but tied the game up in the fifth. NSU added two in the top of the sixth but Minnesota, Crookston added two in the bottom of the sixth and one in the bottom of the seventh to take the victory. Kayla Bowar led all hitters going 3-4 in the game with one RBI and scored the game-winning run. Erin Fowle (P/DP, 5-8, So, Winnipeg, Manitoba) followed Bowar with two hits and started the game pitching. Stacey Marcum (P/3B, 5-7, So, Merrill, Wis.) earned on hit and drove in one run. Marcum also entered the game in relief. She threw 1.2 innings of no-hit ball and struck out two Wolves to earn the victory.

Minnesota, Crookston returns to the field on Sunday to play St. Cloud State and MSU Moorhead in the final day of the Husky Dome Invite. Game times are scheduled for 3 & 5 p.m.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).


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