Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CROOKSTON, Minn.  – The University of Minnesota Crookston split their doubleheader with the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Saturday from the UMC Baseball Field. UMD won the first game by the score of 1-0 after an extra inning thriller. UMC won game two by the score of 4-3 after a strong pitching outing from junior Matt Korte (IF/OF, St. Cloud, Minn.). With the split the Golden Eagles improve their record to 1-34 overall (1-21 NSIC) while UMD dropped to 10-20 overall (10-7 NSIC). The games were counted as home games for UMD due to the unplayable field conditions in Duluth.
 
In game one the Golden Eagles sent J.C. Crane (Sr., C, OF, P, Tucson, Ariz) to the mound while the Bulldogs countered with Adam Zwak.
 
Both pitchers exchanged zeros in the first two frames but in the third inning both teams had threats to score. In the top half of the inning, Korte singled to right field. Josh Brehmer (Jr., 2B/SS, Roseville, Minn) walked. Ryan Haggstrom (Fr., C/OF/P, Apple Valley, Minn) successfully executed his second sacrifice bunt Brehmer and Korte to advance to second and third respectively. Kameron Crandall (R-Fr., IF/P, Zimmerman, Minn) and Crane both were retired to end UMC's threat.
 
In the bottom of the inning, UMD left fielder John Meyer hit a one out double but UMC's pitcher Crane was able to retire the Bulldogs after the double to keep the score tied at zero.
 
UMC threatened again in the top of the fifth. The inning was jumpstarted by a one out double by Brehmer. Haggstrom then reached on an error by the third baseman Jimmy Heck and Brehmer advanced to third. Crandall struck out and then Crane walked to load the bases for senior Jordan Prill (1B/OF/P, Melrose, Minn). Zwak was able to retire the senior on a groundout to second to keep the game scoreless.
 
The Bulldogs got a very solid outing from the Zwak. Zwak pitched seven shutout innings, allowed four hits and two walks while striking out two. Michael Stocke came in to pitch for the Bulldogs in relief of Zwak.
UMC got their best pitching performance of the year out of Crane. He pitched eight shutout innings, scattered eight Bulldog hits, walked two, and struck out two.
 
UMD was able to win game one in the bottom of the ninth inning. UMC reliever Nathan Linstad (Fr., P/ UT, Inkster, N.D.) walked the leadoff hitter Max Ryan. Followed by two errors and the second error by first baseman Cesar Espinoza (Sr., 1B, Tucson, Ariz.) plated the winning run scored by Ryan.
 
The Golden Eagles were led offensively on the game by Brehmer, Espinoza, and Korte who all went 2-for-4 in the game. The Bulldogs were led by Meyer and their catcher Tommy Bodeker who both had two hits.
 
UMD's reliever Stocke got the win after pitching two innings of scoreless relief and improved his record to 1-2. Linstad was tagged with the loss and his record drops to 0-2.
 
In game two the Golden Eagles went with Korte and the Bulldogs countered with left hander Kyle Fritz. The Golden Eagles got to Fritz early. Crandall walked and then Crane continued his good day with a deep double to left field that scored Crandall giving the Golden Eagles an early 1-0 lead.
 
The Golden Eagles scored again in the second. Espinoza led off the inning with a double. Colton Haight (Fr., C/OF, Rogers Minn.) was then hit by a pitch. Madsen then reached on an error by UMD's third baseman. Korte then plated Espinoza on a fielder's choice. Fritz was able to get out of the inning with allowing just that one run but UMC still led by a score of 2-0.
 
Fritz was then yanked out of the game in favor of another lefthander, Spencer Diedrich. Fritz's final stat line was two innings pitched, two hits, two runs both earned with one walk and a strikeout.
 
UMC bats came alive again in the top of the fifth inning. Brehmer led things off with a single. Haggstrom bunted him over to second. Crandall reached based on an infield hit. Crane struck out swinging and then Prill smacked a single to right center which plated Brehmer. Diedrich was able to retire Haight on pop out to second. UMC led after the top of the fifth by a score of 3-0.
 
The Bulldogs would answer back in the bottom of the fifth. Kellen McCoshen led off the inning with a walk. Joe Balestreri then smacked a double to left field that scored McCoshen. Josh Denisen pinch ran for Balestreri and scored on the following play by another double by Bo Hellquist. Orry Engebretsen then tied the game at three with a single scoring Hellquist. At the end of the fifth, the score was tied at three.
 
The Golden Eagles came right back with a run of their own in the top of the sixth off of a new Bulldog
reliever Andy Yetzer. Korte led the inning off with a single and he came around to score on a Crandall single. Brehmer also tried to score on the play after being hit by a pitch but he was thrown out at the plate by the left fielder Meyer.  At the end of the inning the Golden Eagles lead 4-3 which would prove to be the final score of the first Golden Eagle victory of the season.
 
The Golden Eagles were led offensively in game two by Crandall who went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. Espinoza also had two hits for the Golden Eagles. The Bulldogs were led by Balestreri who went 1-for-2 with a double and a RBI.
 
The winning pitcher was Korte who pitched all seven innings while giving up four hits, three runs all of which were earned with three walks and three strikeouts. The win brings Korte's record on the year to a mark of 1-7. The losing pitcher was Yetzer who drops to 0-2.
 
The Golden Eagles and the Bulldogs will return to action tomorrow afternoon for another doubleheader from the UMC Baseball Field. The games will begin at 12 p.m. tomorrow with game two beginning around 2 p.m. from Crookston, Minn.
 
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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