CROOKSTON, Minn.- The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team will play host to Winona State University Fri., April 3 at 1 and 3 p.m. and Sat., April 4 at 12 and 2 p.m. at the UMC Baseball Field. The games will serve as the home openers for the Golden Eagles who have spent the last 46 days on the road playing games in Kansas, Montana, Florida, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota.

The Golden Eagles enter Friday's games with a 7-18 (1-9 NSIC) mark. UMC is coming off two hard-fought heart-breakers against University of Sioux Falls Tuesday as they fell 8-7, on a walk-off hit, and 21-17. Minnesota Crookston has been led by Kenny Perez (Jr., DH/1B, Orlando, Fla./Health Science), who leads the team with a .365 batting average and 26 runs batted in (RBI's). In addition, Perez has a team-leading eight doubles and four home runs and has a .594 slugging percentage. In addition to Perez, Jesse Jennings (Sr., OF, Robbinsdale, Minn./Criminal Justice) comes in with a .358 average, 12 runs scored and eight RBI's. Jennings leads the team with a .514 on-base percentage. Ryan Haggstrom (Jr., 1B/RHP, Apple Valley, Minn./Accounting) has also been strong with a .337 batting average, 24 runs scored and 21 RBI's.

On the mound, Nolan Wahlberg (Jr., RHP, Blaine, Minn./Criminal Justice) has led the team with a 3-3 mark and a 4.76 earned runs average (ERA) in 39.2 innings pitched. Wyatt Huso (R-Fr., Eagan, Minn./Agricultural Systems Management) has been strong out of the bullpen with a 0-0 mark and a 3.38 ERA in eight innings pitched.

Winona State comes into Friday with a 8-14 (6-4 NSIC) record. The Warriors have been led by Mitchell Heid, who is hitting .370 with 13 runs scored, four doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI's. Jesus Cazares comes in hitting .348 with 14 runs scored and 11 RBI's, while Tyler Nehring is hitting .329 with five doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI's.

The Warrior pitching staff has looked to Hayden Krimmer, who is 2-2 with a 3.49 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched. Chase Blazier is 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 26.0 innings pitched for Winona State.

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 a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.