TUCSON, Ariz. - The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle softball team began their spring trip down to Tucson, Ariz., with a busy three-game day. UMC was able to come up with two victories, getting their first win against University of British Columbia (7-6), suffered a heart-breaking loss to Dickinson State University (11-12) and completed the day with a domination of Mayville State University 12-3.

In the first game the Golden Eagles played against the UBC, Bailey Braatz (So., RHP, Buffalo, Minn./Sports and Rec Management) was looked to on the mound. She filled her role pretty well, pitching seven stronginnings, giving up four earned runs on nine hits. She walked two batters, but fanned two as well. With a support of 11 hits and 7 runs, she was able to collect her first win in the 2015 season, and putting her team to a 1-8 record.
 
Even though British Columbia struck first with a solo shot in the top of the second, Gabriel Antolak answered with one of her own, tying the game up at 1 apiece. UBC took the lead again in the very next inning, when Dhaliwal's triple plated two. Shelby Hollinger's (Sr., 2B, Neudorf, Saskatchewan/Health Science) homer in the bottom of that frame trimmed UBC's lead to 1, 3-2 University of British Columbia.

The scoreboard remained unchanged until Kristi Larson (Jr., IF, New Ulm, Minn./Sports and Rec Management) took the stage. With two outs and runners on second and third, she found a gap and collected easy 2 RBIs. UMC then took the first lead of the ballgame and did not let it go. Three more insurance runs came in the bottom of the fifth, and even though UBC battled back with a 2-run top of the seventh, the Golden Eagles were able to hold their own for their first victory.

Couple of hours later the ladies faced off against Dickinson State. Sammy Knudson (So., OF/RHP, Fergus Falls, Minn.) got the start in the game two, however, had a rougher start than Braatz. In 2/3 of an inning she gave up three earned and left the mound with UMC down 3-0. The Golden Eagles got two back in the bottom of the second and one in the third. Back-to-back hits by Kaylin Beatty (Jr., OF, Andover, Minn./Animal Science) (RBI double) and Victoria Bayliss (RBI triple) put them right back in the ballgame, and AlexisKhoshaba's (Jr., OF, Richmond, British Columbia/Sports and Rec Management) sacrifice fly brought in Allison Foley (Jr., SS, Lockport, Ill./Accounting) to tie the game.

UMC's nightmare began in the top of the fourth, when total of six Blue Hawk softball players reached home safely. Four DSU's hits together with UMC's four errors seemed to put the game out of reach. The nail in the coffin came in the top of the next inning, when double steal attempt and a solo home-run changed the score to 11-3 in Dickinson's favor.

The Golden Eagles did not give up and put up a fight in the bottom of the fifth. One down, Foley got a double, putting one runner on the base. Khoshaba reached on an error, giving Foley enough room to score. Josee Plante's (Sr., 3B, Manitou, Manitoba/Health Science) double scored Khoshaba, and even though two runs came in, DSU was still up 11-5. Last Blue Hawk run was in the next half of the inning, and after that, it was all about the Golden Eagles. Beatty's sacrifice fly plated Larson, and Antolak's double sent Foley and Bayliss home for UMC's seventh and eighth run.

Three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, however, were not enough, and the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles fell to Dickinson State University Blue Hawks 12-11.

Even though the day must have felt long already, head coach Don Stopa and his softball team had yet another game to play that day. Their third game of the day was against Mayville State University, and the girls definitely came together for a strong 12-3 victory over the Comets.

As a visitor, the Golden Eagles got to work early. First two runs of the ballgame were Khoshaba's RBI groundout and Antolak's sacrifice fly. Mayville's answer was just a sole run in the bottom of the first frame.

The Golden Eagle bats woke up two innings later. Four back-to-back hits to open the frame started the rally, when Hollinger took one deep, 3-1 UMC. Four batters later, Larson's bases-clearing triple allowed Plante, Antolak and Khoshaba to score. With two outs in the inning, Beatty and Bayliss got back-to-back singles, each collecting one RBI and putting their team up 8-1.

It was only the fourth inning, and Khoshaba came through again, this time with a big triple, sending Foley for UMC's ninth run. Another Antolak's sacrifice fly for the Golden Eagles, another insurance run, and a nine-run deficit. The Mayville State University Comets were only able to score once in the bottom of the fourth, and the visiting UMC finished their opponent with another 2-run inning in the top of the fifth.

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles had a successful day, getting their first two wins on the season and moving to 2-9. They will not be able to rest much due to their schedule – two games coming up tomorrow, another three on Wednesday and two on Thursday. UMC's NSIC opener against Bemidji will then come after having an extreme spring training, having played ten games in five short days.

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).