Box Score CLEARWATER, Fla.  – The University of Minnesota, Crookston baseball team couldn't keep the Upper Iowa Peacock bats at bay Friday morning as they fell 14-1 in their first game of the Winning Inning Invitational at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla. Upper Iowa would finish the game with 20 hits. The Golden Eagles fall to 0-9 on the season while Upper Iowa improves to 7-5 on the season. The Peacocks take the overall season series 3-0 over UMC after picking up a pair of wins over the Golden Eagles at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Feb. 15.
 
J.C. Crane (Sr., P/C/OF, Tucson, Ariz.) got his first start of the season on the mound for the Golden Eagles and went four and two-thirds innings giving up eight runs, only four of them earned, on 11 hits. However, Crane would get credit for the loss for UMC.
 
The Golden Eagles looked poised to get on the scoreboard first Friday as they quickly got on base with a leadoff single from Josh Brehmer (Jr., 2B/SS, Roseville, Minn.). Matt Korte (Jr., IF/OF/P, St. Cloud, Minn.) quickly followed with a single of his own but UMC would leave the runners stranded as Upper Iowa was able to get out of the inning unscathed.
 
The Peacocks added their first run of the game on a sacrifice fly from Andrew Kraus that drove in Matt Corbitt, who struck out but reached on a wild pitch.
 
Upper Iowa would extend their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the second as Ryan Citro hit a sacrifice fly to plate Jose Aguirre, who had reached on a double to lead off the inning. The run came with no outs but Crane would retire the next two batters on a ground out and fly out to center to keep the Peacocks at bay.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Peacocks would extend their lead to 3-0 after Mikey Henrichs doubled to left field to score Corbitt, who had singled to center field.
 
Upper Iowa would start the bottom of the fourth with a pair of hits but a shoe string catch by Brooks Miller (So., IF/OF/P, Moorhead, Minn.) and a subsequent throw to second to pick off the runner who was attempting to advance to third on what he assumed would be a hit, helped get the Golden Eagles out of the inning with the score still 3-0.
 
However, things would be blown open in the bottom of the fifth as Upper Iowa would score five runs in the inning to make it 8-0. Kraus started off the scoring with one out, as he singled through the right side to score Tyler Adams, who had walked.
 
With two outs and  runners on first and third, John Dobson singled to right field to plate pinch runner Jimmy Pinakidis. The Peacocks would add another run as Citro reached on an error by UMC right fielder Jesse Jennings (So., IF/OF, Robbinsdale, Minn.), which allowed Aguirre to score. Upper Iowa would add two more unearned runs after William Loza singled up the middle to score Citro and Dobson.
 
Ryan Paasch (Jr., P, Sauk Rapids, Minn.) came on to relieve Crane and was able to end the inning for the Golden Eagles.
 
With Kyle Kleven (So., P, Larimore, N.D.) now on the mound, the Peacocks would add four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to end their lead to 12-0. The first run of the inning came across as Aguirre reached on an error by short stop Tony Madsen (Jr., IF, Mounds View, Minn.) to score Henrichs, who had walked. One more run crossed as Loza hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Aguirre. An Adams single to left field scored two more, as Citro and Dobson would cross the plate for the Peacocks.
 
Thane Larson (Jr., P, Grantsburg, Wis.) would come on late in the sixth inning and retire his one batter face and get out of the inning with no runs in the bottom of the seventh.
 
UMC's bats finally rose to the occasion late as they ended the shutout following a Korte single to center field to plate Madsen, who had reached on a double down the left field line.
 
Upper Iowa would add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth as Pinakidis singled to center field to score Adams and Henrichs hit an infield single to score Cody Heiman.
 
The Golden Eagle bats were led on the game by Korte and Crandall. Korte was 2-for-4 with one run batted in while Crandall was also 2-for-4 for the game.
 
Upper Iowa was led overall by Henrichs, who was 4-for-5 with one run scored and 2 RBI's while Adams was 3-for-5 with one run scored and two RBI's.
 
The Peacocks' Eric Anderson got the win on the bump as he went seven innings with 10 strikeouts while giving up four hits. Anderson would pitch a shutout on the game, giving up no runs. The only run for the Golden Eagles would come off reliever Jordan Kearns, who would pitch the final two innings.
 
UMC returns to play at Jack Russell Stadium at 7 p.m. E.T. (6 p.m. C.T.) as they face Mansfield University.
 
For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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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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