Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SIOUX FALLS, S.D.  – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell 22-2 and 11-1 to Augustana College (S.D.) at Karras Park Home of Ronken Field Saturday night in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Golden Eagles drop to 0-29 (0-16 NSIC) on the season with the pair of losses. Augustana improves to 24-15 (12-6 NSIC) with the pair of wins.
 
The games were moved to Sioux Falls, S.D. after originally being scheduled to be played at the UMC Baseball Field in Crookston, Minn. The games were relocated due to unplayable field conditions caused by inclement weather. Saturday's games were the fifth and sixth games the team has played at Karras Park Home of Ronken Field this season. UMC also faced Northern State University over a four-game series April 7 and 8.
 
Augustana's bats came out on fire in game one as the Vikings took the game 22-2 after getting 23 hits in the game. The Vikings were led by Marcus O'Neill, who was 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and four runs scored, along with Tony Viger, who was 2-for-3 with four runs scored and four RBI's.
 
J.C. Crane (Sr., C/OF/P, Tucson, Ariz.) got the ball in game one for the Golden Eagles and would go one-and-a-third inning, giving up 13 runs, 12 of them earned, on 12 hits. Crane would get the loss to fall to 0-5 on the season.
 
Augustana would plate four runs in the top of the first to get out to an early 4-0 advantage. O'Neill started out the scoring as he singled through the right side to drive home Jake Petersen. In the next at-bat Viger, would hit a two-run shot to right field to score himself and O'Neill to make it 3-0. Crane would secure two outs, before Brian Duxbury would single to right field to score Kyle Winter to make it 4-0.
 
The Vikings would put together a major scoring barrage in the second, plating 13 runs on 12 hits in the frame. The scoring would start as Alex Fink singled up the middle to score O'Neill and Petersen to make it 6-0. Some other important run-scoring plays in the frame would occur as Nate Hewes would double to center field to score Fink and Jack Goihl to make the game 10-0. A Goihl single down the line later in the inning would drive in two runs, scoring Viger and O'Neill to make the game 15-0. Augustana would lead 17-0 at the conclusion of the frame after batting 18 players in the inning.
 
Kyle Kleven (So., P, Larimore, N.D.) would come on for Crane late in the inning. He would end up pitching two-and-two-third innings, giving up eight runs, six of them earned, on seven hits.
 
The Golden Eagles would get their two runs in the bottom of the second inning. With one out in the frame, Jordan Prill (Sr., 1B/OF/P, Melrose, Minn.) would hit an infield single. Colton Haight (Fr., C/OF, Rogers, Minn.) followed suit with an infield single of his own to give UMC two runners with one out. Jesse Jennings (So., IF/OF, Robbinsdale, Minn.) would then reach on an error by the pitcher, allowing Prill to score. During the next at-bat, Haight would come across the plate on a Jordan Milbrath wild pitch.
 
The Vikings would add three runs in the third inning off Kleven. In the fourth, Augustana would plate one run off Kleven to make it 21-2. Thane Larson (Jr., P, Grantsburg, Wis.) would come on in the top of the fifth and give up one run. Larson would shut the Vikings down the rest of the day, pitching three innings and giving up just one earned run on the game on four hits, one of his strongest outings of the season.
 
The Golden Eagles had four hits in game one from Prill, Haight, Matt Korte (Jr., IF/OF/P, St. Cloud, Minn.) and Kameron Crandall (R-Fr., IF/P, Zimmerman, Minn.)
 
Milbrath would get the win for Augustana after going four innings, pitching a shutout and giving up just two hits.
 
Joe Miller (So., P, Winona, Minn.) would get the start in game two for the Golden Eagles. Miller would pitch a very solid game over the first five innings, giving up just three runs on five hits. However the sixth inning would be a big one for Augustana as they scored six runs, all charged to Miller. The sophomore hurler would get the loss for the Golden Eagles in game two.
 
The first run of the game for Augustana would come across as Fink hit a two-out single to score Viger in the top of the first.
 
The Vikings wouldn't strike again until the top of the fourth when Fink hit a solo home-run to right field to make it 2-0 Augustana.
 
They would add another run in the fifth as O'Neill singled to drive in Petersen, who had tripled to right center to make it 3-0.
 
UMC would cut the advantage to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Jennings led off the inning with a single to right field. After Tony Madsen (Jr., IF. Mounds View, Minn.) reached on a fielder's choice advancing Jennings to second. Augustana would secure one out before Josh Brehmer (Jr., 2B/SS, Roseville, Minn. singled to right field to drive in Jennings.
 
Augustana would lead off their big inning in the top of the sixth as Viger doubled off Miller. Fink would reach on an error and Winter would walk to give the Vikings bases loaded with no out. A Hewes singled through the left side would plate Viger to make it 4-1.
 
With the bases still loaded and one out now, Goihl would single to right field to score Winter. A Zach Dibble double to right center would score Hewes and Ben Ludwigson to make it 7-1.
 
Ryan Paasch (Jr., P, Sauk Rapids, Minn.) would then come on in relief of Miller. Petersen would single off of Paasch to score Dibble and Goihl and make it 9-1. Paasch would secure the final two outs to get the Golden Eagles out of the inning.
 
Augustana would add two runs in the seventh off a Goihl double to score Hewes and Fink to make it 11-1.
 
UMC would try to mount a major comeback in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. Korte singled up the middle, followed by a Brehmer single and Ryan Haggstrom (Fr., P/UT, Apple Valley, Minn.) being hit by a pitch to give the Golden Eagles bases loaded with two outs. However, pinch-hitter Cesar Espinoza (Sr., 1B, Tucson, Ariz.) would strike out to leave the bases juiced, concluding the game as it would called due to the run-rule.
 
Sam Gotham would get the win for Augustana, going six innings, giving up one run on six hits.
 
Brehmer led the Golden Eagles in game two going 3-for-4.
 
The Golden Eagles will play the final two games of the series against Augustana Sun., April 21 at 12 and 2 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
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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