Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 JOPLIN, Mo. -  The University of Minnesota Crookston lifted the lid on the 2014 baseball season Saturday with a pair of games at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Mo. against Missouri Southern State University. The Golden Eagles fell 13-4 in a seven-inning game and then 10-1 in a nine-inning game versus the Lions. UMC opens up the season with an 0-2 mark, while Missouri Southern moves to 2-0 on the season.

Minnesota Crookston was actually fast out of the gate Saturday, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead on the Lions in game one. Josh Brehmer (2B/SS, Roseville, Minn.) opened up the game reaching on an error by the third basemen, and Ryan Haggstrom (C/1B/P, Apple Valley, Minn.) followed up by getting hit by a pitch to give the Golden Eagles to early base runners. After being moved on a sac bunt, Colton Haight (So., C, Buffalo, Minn.) came through in the clean-up spot with a single through the left side to load up the bases. Brehmer would come across on a fielder's choice to make it 1-0.

With two outs, Marcus Campbell (P/OF, St. Croix Falls, Wis.) came up big with a single to center field to drive in Haggstrom to give UMC the 2-0 lead.

The Lions would cut it to 2-1 as Mitchell Osburn singled to drive in Jared Lupo, who had started the game off with a double down the left field line.

UMC added one more run to their lead to make it 3-1 in the top of the second as Haggstrom hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Patrick Higgins (Fr., OF, Eagan, Minn.), who had singled to center.

The Lions got to starter Trevor Buttermore (So., P, North St. Paul, Minn.) in the bottom of the second, plating three runs to make it 4-3. Buttermore walked the first two batters and hit Austin White with a pitch to load up the bases early in the inning. A single from Lupo would plate two runners for Missouri Southern. The third runner came across as Logan Moon singled through the left side to score Lupo. Buttermore would get out of the inning with no more damage.

Missouri Southern would get four more runs in the third inning to chase Buttermore and amek it 8-3 led by a Dusty Harper home run. Thane Larson (Sr., P, Grantsburg, Wis.) would come on to get UMC out of the inning.

Each team would add one run apiece in the fourth inning as the Golden Eagles would score when Brehmer reached on an error by the second basemen to plate Jesse Jennings (Jr., OF, Robbinsdale, Minn.).

Larson would pitch well for most of his 3.1 innings pitched, until getting hit hard in the sixth inning as Missouri Southern added four runs.

The Golden Eagles were led on the game by Haggstrom, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run scored and Campbell, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI. Jennings was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Buttermore went 2.2 innings with eight hits, eight runs and six earned runs. Larson went 3.1 innings with eight hits and five earned runs.

Buttermore earned the loss on game one, while David Reese had the win, going five innings and giving up five hits, four runs with just one of those runs earned.

The Lions were led at the plate by Lupo, who was 3-of-5 with four runs scored and three RBI's from his lead-off spot. Moon was 4-of-5 on the day with one RBI.

In game two, Jon Mittag (Sr., P, Glenville, Minn.) got the start for the Golden Eagles. He would go seven innings, giving up 10 hits, five runs with two of them earned. Mittag would earn the loss on the game as UMC fell 10-1.

The game was just 2-0 with the Lions in the lead led by great early pitching by Mittag through four innings. Missouri Southern would add three runs off Mittag in the three, but he would keep the Lions at bay in his final two innings on the mound.

UMC's lone run in the game came across in the eight inning as Brehmer scored for the Golden Eagles. UMC was paced by Haggstrom, who was 2-for-4 for the game, while Brehmer went 1-for-3 with one run scored.

Cody Pamperin (Fr., P, Shakopee, Minn.) also pitched for UMC, but struggled in his one inning on the mound, giving up five runs, three of them earned, on three hits.

Missouri Southern's Payon walker got the win, after going eight innings and giving up just one earned un on six hits.

The Lions were led at the plate by Osburn, who was 4-for-4 for the day, while Lupo was 1-for-3 with three runs scored.

The Golden Eagles and Lions will be back at it tommorw as they play at 12 and 2 p.m. tomorrow in Joplin, Mo.

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

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

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).