CROOKSTON, Minn, - The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team had a 4-0 lead in game two and battled in a hard-fought 5-1 loss in game one but would fall short 5-1 and 13-4 to Minnesota State University Moorhead Sunday at UMC Softball Field. 

The Golden Eagles wrap up the season with a 4-44 (0-30 NSIC) mark on the year, while MSU Moorhead improved to 16-27 (6-23) with the pair of wins. UMC closes out the season without a conference win but the Golden Eagles did surpass their win total from a season ago, and have shown several signs of growth as a program in year one of the Don Stopa era.

The Golden Eagles finished with a team batting average of .255, which is close to 40 points better than their 2014 total. In addition, their team earned runs average was 7.03, which was almost three points better than a season ago. They also belted 11 more home runs on the season and had 73 more runs batted in. The Golden Eagles look poised for strong things in the future of the Stopa era.

In game one, UMC got a strong start out of Bailey Braatz (So., RHP, Buffalo, Minn./Sports and Rec Management), who would go five innings and give up four earned runs on seven hits. Senior Brooke Vatthauer (Sr., LHP, Crookston, Minn./Health Science) also pitched well, going two innings and giving up one earned run on three hits.

UMC started the game on a strong note as Kaylin Beatty (Jr., OF, Andover, Minn./Animal Science) hit a solo shot to left enter to put the Golden Eagles up 1-0. 


MSU Moorhead would add home runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth with Taylor Huss hitting two home runs, a solo shot in the fourth and a two run bomb in the fifth. Lauren Meeker would add a solo home run in the sixth.


The Golden Eagles would have chances in the sixth. UMC would load the bases with one out in the sixth. However, Kristi Larson (Sr., IF, New Ulm, Minn./Sports and Rec Management) would ground out into a fielder's choice and they throw out Allison Foley (Jr., SS, Lockport, Ill./Accounting). 


After UMC was unable to size down the lead, Morgan Nybo singled to drive in Rachel Sannicandro to give the Dragons a 5-1 lead and the win.

Morgan Nybo got the win as she went seven innings, giving up one earned run on five hits.
UMC was led by senior Josee Plante (Sr., 3B, Manitou, Manitoba/Health Science), who had a strong senior day going 2-of-3.

In game two, the Golden Eagles would look to get off to a great start as they plated four runs in the first inning. A Khoshaba walk would score Victoria Bayliss (Fr., OF, West Bloomfield, Mich./Elementary Education). Plante then reached on a fielder's choice and Foley would score on an error. The ball control errors would continue for Nybo as Antolak walked, allowing Khoshaba to score. Brooke Timmins (Jr., C, Magnolia, Texas/Sports and Rec Management) would then single to drive in Plante to make it 4-0.

 MSU Moorhead would take over as they would score 13 runs in the next five innings. The Dragon would be led by a Kristina Villalobos two-run single to drive in Kristin Nordby and Huss. Sannicandro would then hit a solo shot as would Brittany York. Mollie Annen would hit a home run late, as would Villalobos as the Dragons dominated late.

The win would go to Nordby in relief, who went five innings of shutout softball.

Sammy Knudson (So., RHP/IF, Fergus Falls, Minn./Health Science) got the loss after giving up five runs, two of them earned, on six hits in three innings.

Sunday marked the final games for Hollinger, Vatthauer and Plante who have all left a mark on UMC athletics on an off the softball diamond. All three have helped lay the groundwork for the building of the future of Don Stopa's program.

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.
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