BISMARCK, N.D.-  The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team put a test to University of Mary Wednesday afternoon in Bismarck, N.D. The Golden Eagles were led by a strong performance in the circle from Bailey Braatz (So., RHP, Buffalo, Minn./Sports and Rec Management) in game, but fell just short 4-3. In game two, U-Mary used five runs late in the game in order to take a 13-9 win over the Golden Eagles.

UMC falls to 4-40 (0-26 NSIC) with Wednesday's doubleheader loss. U-Mary improves to 24-27 (13-12 NSIC) with the victories.

Braatz put together one of her strongest starts of the season against the Marauders. She would go six innings,. giving up four runs, just three of them earned, on nine hits with one strikeout. Braatz' performance for the Golden Eagles gave UMC a chance to win.

The Golden Eagles started out game one with the first run as Alexis Khoshaba (Jr., OF, Richmond, British Colubmia/Sports ane Rec Management) hit a double to drive in Victoria Bayliss (Fr., OF, West Bloomfield, Mich./Elementary Education) to take the 1-0 lead.

U-Mary would add two runs in the third. Taylor Mendez led things off with a solo home run and then Amber Gamboa would score on an error.

The Marauders added a run in the fourth when Kristin Ormsby singled to drive in Keegan Wickman to take 4-1 lead.

The Golden Eagles would cut the lead to 4-2 in the sixth as Allison Foley (Jr., SS, Lockport, Ill./Accounting) singled down the left field line to drive in Jordyn Derflinger (Jr., OF/RHP, Henderson, Nev./Elementary Education).


UMC would have a chance late in the seventh. With two on and two out, Derflinger would come through with the single to drive in Kristi Larson (Jr., IF, New Ulm, Minn./Sports and Rec Management). UMC would have the winning run on first with Bayliss at the plate, but she would strike out, preserving the win for U-Mary.

Nena Dudley got the win for the Marauders after going seven innings and giving up three earned runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts.

UMC was led in game one by Foley, who was 2-of-4 with one RBI. Khoshaba was 2-of-3 with one RBI, while Derflinger was 2-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored.

Game two Wednesday would be a battle of firepower as both teams hit the ball well, aided by two errors apiece by each team.

The Marauders put in three runs in the second led by a Colleen Crutchfield two-run home run to make it 3-0 U-Mary.

The Golden Eagles would strike back in the third when Shelby Hollinger (Sr., 2B, Neudorf, Saskatchewan/Health Science) doubled down the left field line to drive in Bayliss and Brooke Timmins (Jr., C, Magnolia, Texas/Sports and Rec Management).

The Marauders added a run in the third as Demaree Rodriguez doubled to drive in Mendez.

The Golden Eagles would come through with a big fourth and fifth inning, scoring six runs. The Golden Eagles were led by a Gabriel Antolak (Fr., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn./Equine Science) double to drive in Josee Plante (Sr., 3B, Manitou, Manitoba/Health Science) and Khoshaba. UMC would lead 8-4 after the fifth.

U-Mary would come through with a big fifth and sixth inning led by a Crutchfield three-run home run and an Ormsby two-run double to put the Marauders up 13-8.

The Golden Eagles would again have a chance in the seventh. With two the bases loaded and one out, Bayliss would single to drive in Larson. The bases were still loaded with just one out when Hollinger would ground into a double play to give U-Mary the 13-9 win.

Derflinger got the loss for UMC, going four innings and giving up five runs, four of them earned, on seven hits.

The win for U-Mary went to MeLanie Rodriguez, who came on in relief and gave up four runs, three of them earned, on four hits in three innings.

UMC was led in game two by Bayliss, who was 2-of-5 with one RBI and one run scored, and Antolak, who was 2-of-3 2ith two RBI's and one run scored.

The Golden Eagles will wrap up the season at home April 25 and 26 with games against Northern State University and Minnesota State University. All games are scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m

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.