Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MINNEAPOLIS  – The University of Minnesota Crookston dropped a pair to No. 11 Minnesota State University, Mankato Mon., March 25. The Golden Eagles dropped game one 3-0 despite an outstanding pitching performance from Jon Mittag (Jr., P, Glenville, Minn.) who had a no-hitter through four innings before giving up two unearned runs on two hits. The Minnesota State bats were too much for Minnesota Crookston in game two as they won 12-2 in seven innings. The Golden Eagles fall to 0-17 (0-4 NSIC) on the season while Minnesota State improves to 15-4 (4-0 NSIC) on the year.
 
Mittag got the start on the bump in game one for the Golden Eagles and put on a dominant pitching performance as he had a perfect game through three innings and a no-hitter going through the first four innings against the Mavericks.
 
With Mittag throwing a no hitter, the Golden Eagles looked to get on the board in the fourth inning as Jordan Prill (Sr., 1B/P, Melrose, Minn.) hit a ground-rule double down the left field line to lead off the inning. With one out, Brooks Miller (So., IF/OF/P, Moorhead, Minn.) would hit a single to center field to move Prill to third. But both Matt Korte (Jr., IF/OF/P, St. Cloud, Minn.) and Tony Madsen (Jr., IF, Mounds View, Minn.) were struck out leaving the runners stranded for the Golden Eagles.
 
Minnesota State was finally able to hit Mittag in the bottom of the fifth and would get two runs out of it. Taylor Branstad ended the no hitter for Mittag with a single to right field and then advanced to second on the throw. Branstad drove in pinch-runner Cory Glieden, who ran for Tony Vocca who was hit by a pitch. Miller had a pinpoint throw from right field and had Glieden dialed in but the Maverick runner would knock the ball out of catcher J.C. Crane's (C/OF/P, Tucson, Ariz.) glove to score. Todd Standish then got the second single of the inning driving in pinch-runner Jon Flattery to make it 2-0.
 
Mittag finished the game going five innings, with two runs, none of them earned, on two hits with two strikeouts.
 
Nathan Linstad (Fr., P/UT, Inskter, N.D.) would relieve Mittag in the bottom of the sixth inning. Lucas Skjefte would lead off the inning with a double to left center. Skjefte would score as the Golden Eagles threw out Stetson Olson on a steal attempt at second allowing Skjefte to score on a fielder's choice and make it 3-0.
 
The Golden Eagles tried for a rally in the top of the seventh and started it out in fine fashion as Crane singled to center field off relieve Mahlon Zimmerman to lead off the inning. Prill would then reach on a fielder's choice with Crane moving to third on an error by the short stop. However the Golden Eagles again left their runners stranded as Jeremiah Friday (So., C/1B, Rush City, Minn.) struck out and then Miller lined into a double play to end the game.
 
Tyler Ockuly picked up the win for the Mavericks after giving up three hits and no earned runs in six innings with 11 strikeouts.
 
Ryan Haggstrom (Fr., P/UT, Apple Valley, Minn.), Crane, Prill and Miller all had hits for the Golden Eagles in game one.
Joe Miller (So., P, Winona, Minn.) made his second start of the season in game two as he missed the start of the season due to an elbow injury. Miller would suffer the loss, his second of the year, after giving up nine earned runs on four hits with five walks in two-and-a-third innings pitched.
 
The Golden Eagles started out game two with two bases runners as both Josh Brehmer (Jr., 2B/SS, Roseville, Minn.) and Kameron Crandall (IF/P, Zimmerman, Minn.) both walked but UMC was unable to get the runners across as it remained 0-0.
 
The first run came across for the Mavericks in the bottom of the first as Skjefte, who reached on a walk, scored on a double steal in which Crane tried to throw out Olson at second allowing Skjefte to score and make it 1-0 Mavericks. They added a run as Ben Keller reached on an error by Madsen at short stop allowing Olson to score and make it 2-0.
 
Minnesota State would add two in the bottom of the second as a Mike Andries single drove in Branstad and Connor McCallum to make it 4-0 Mavericks. Minnesota State would add another run as Sullivan hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Andries and make it 5-0. Skjefte hit a solo shot over the left field wall to make it 6-0 for Mavericks. 
 
Miller would load the bases in the bottom of the third as he walked Keller, Glieden and Branstad. The UMC hurler would be relieved by Ryan Paasch (Jr., P, Sauk Rapids, Minn.).
 
Andries would then hit a double to left center to clear the bases and make it 9-0 in favor of Minnesota State. One more run would score as Andries would score on a throwing error by Madsen.
 
The Golden Eagles would plate their first run as Cesar Espinoza (Sr., 1B, Tuscon, Ariz.) grounded out to score Crandall, who had reached on an error by the catcher. The Golden Eagles would add a second run as Jesse Jennings (So., IF/OF, Robbinsdale, Minn.) hit a slump-breaking triple to center field which would plate Crane, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
 
The Mavericks would add two runs in the bottom of the fourth. The first came when Olson hit a ball deep to the 408 feet sign in center field and would round the bases for an inside the park home run, his third home run of the series. One more would come across as Glieden hit a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Keller, who had singled, and make it 12-2.
 
Thane Larson (Jr., P, Grantsburg, Wis.) would come on to pitch in the fifth inning after Paasch went one-and-two-third innings giving up two earned runs on three hits. Larson would pitch one inning giving up no runs on one hit.
 
Prill would come into relieve Larson and pitch the sixth inning mowing down the order one, two, three.
 
Reliever Nathan Trelstad got the win for the Mavericks after pitching the fifth inning and giving up no earned runs and no hits.
 
The Golden Eagles had three hits in game two with Prill, Jennings and Crane getting on base for UMC.
 
UMC returns to play March 29 and March 30 with a pair of doubleheaders against Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb.
 
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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