Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MARSHALL, Minn..-  The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team fell 10-2 and 5-2 to Southwest
Minnesota State University Sat., April 12 in Marshall, Minn. The Golden Eagles hung with the Mustangs early in game one, but a six-run fourth inning catapulted SMSU to a 6-2 lead and the Mustangs wouldn't look back. In game two, UMC held a 2-1 advantage going into the top of the sixth, but a  Karmann Carroll double to drive in two as SMSU scored three in the inning and would hang on for the win.

Bailey Braatz (Fr., P/1B, Buffalo, Minn./Communication) got the game one start, her first start since suffering an injury which had limited her playing time over the last several weeks. Braatz would pitch well early, allowing just one Mustang hit through the first three innings. However, SMSU would get six runs on three hits as Braatz struggled with control, walking three batters in the inning. Braatz would pitch 3.2 innings, allowing six runs, none of them earned, on four hits.

Brooke Vatthauer (Jr., P/1B, Crookston, Minn./Health Science) would come on to relieve Braatz and would go 1.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits. Sammy Knudson (Fr., UT/P, Fergus Falls, Minn./Undecided) would also pitch, notching two innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits.

Rachel Hoeppner would get the win for Southwest Minnesota State after pitching a complete game and allowing just two earned runs on four hits.

UMC's two runs came in first inning as Ashley Manusos (Sr., OF, Spring Grove, Ill./Sports and Rec Management) hit her second home run of the season to drive in Shelby Hollinger (Jr., 2B, Neudorf, Saskatchewan/Health Science) who was hit by a pitch.

SMSU was led by Chelsey Rodenkirch in game one. She was 2-of-4 with four runs batted in (RBI's) and two runs scored. Alysse Luttmann also had a solid game one, going 2-of-4 with two RBI's and one run scored.

Manusos led the Golden Eagles, going 1-of-2 with one run scored and two RBI's.

Paige Schaust (Sr., OF/P, Delano, Minn./Early Childhood Education) would get the game two start for the Golden Eagles. Schaust would pitch lights out early, allowing just one earned run on five hits through the first five innings. SMSU would get three runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh off Schaust as they came away with the win. Schaust would give up five runs, only one of them earned, on eight hits in the complete game .She falls to 3-9 with the loss.

The win for Southwest Minnesota State went to Hoeppner in relief. She pitched 4.2 innings and shut down the Golden Eagles. Giving up just two hits. Alex O'Connor got the start for the Mustangs and would give up two runs on three hits in 2.1 innings.

SMSU started out the game two scoring a Jazmyne Neely singled to drive in Rodenkirch to make it 1-0.

The Golden Eagles would counter with two runs in their half of the first as Alexis Khoshaba (So., OF, Richmond, British Columbia/Sports and Rec Management) singled to right field to drive in Manusos and Allison Foley (So., SS, Lockport, Ill./Accounting).

The Mustangs would finally break the four-inning scoring drought in the sixth as S Stoll hit a sacrifice fly to score K Searcy. Carroll then doubled to left to drive in Emily Olson and Neely.

On more run would cross for Southwest Minnesota State as Neely reached on an error by Foley, which allowed Rodenkirch to score.

Hollinger led the Golden Eagles in game two, going 2-of-4, while Khoshaba was 1-of-2 with two RBI's.

The Mustangs were led by Neely, who was 3-of-4 with two RBI's and one run scored, and Rodenkirch, who was 2-of-4 with two runs scored.

Minnesota Crookston is scheduled to play University of Minnesota Duluth in Duluth, Minn. April 15 at 2 and 4 p.m.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website 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).