CROOKSTON, Minn.- The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team will host Southwest Minnesota State University at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Fri., April 25 and 12 and 2 p.m. Sat., April 26 at the UMC Baseball Field in Crookston, Minn. The games were originally slated for Saturday and Sunday but were moved to Friday and Saturday due to rain in the forecast Sunday.

The games will serve as UMC's second home weekend of the 2014 season after opening up their home slate last weekend with four games against Wayne State College (Neb.). Minnesota Crookston comes into the weekend with a 1-37 (0-26 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles battled to the bitter end in two NSIC contests on the road at Bemidji State University Tuesday. However, the Beavers came up on the winning end, picking 5-4 and 3-2 wins despite strong pitching from Cody Pamperin (Fr., P, Shakopee, Minn./Golf and Turf Management) and Jon Mittag (Sr., P, Glenville, Minn./Sports and Rec Management).

The Golden Eagles continue to be led at the plate by Ryan Haggstrom (So., C/1B/P, Apple Valley, Minn./Accounting), who is batting .338 with 19 runs scored and 14 RBI's. On the mound, Richie Navratil (Sr., P, Blansko, Czech Republic/Sports and Rec Management) leads UMC's weekend starters with a 8.03 ERA in 52.2 innings pitched.

Southwest Minnesota State holds a 17-20 (8-13 NSIC) mark coming into Friday and Saturday's games. The Mustangs lost a pair to Concordia University, St. Paul Tues., April 22 in Marshall, Minn. The Mustangs are led by Patrick Rients at the plate, who is batting .369 with 12 home runs, 26 runs scored and 35 RBI's. In addition to Rients, Austin Stubbs is hitting .354 with 21 runs scored and 19 RBI's. On the mound, Joe Axelson leads the way with a 2-3 mark and a 2.98 ERA in 48.1 innings pitched.

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).