ROLLA, Mo. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program opened the 2016 season with a pair of losses Sat., Feb. 27 to Missouri University of Science and Technology. The Golden Eagles fell 10-4 in game one and Missouri S&T came back to defeat UMC 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth in game two.

UMC falls to 0-2 on the season, while Missouri S&T improves to 6-0.

The Golden Eagles fell 10-4 to the Miners in the first game of the season for Minnesota Crookston. UMC had a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the third, but Missouri S&T would score eight in the final five innings to win 10-4.

Missouri S&T would start the scoring in the bottom of the first as Trevor Karbowski doubled to drive in Bodenstab.

The Golden Eagles would respond with three of their own in the top of the third as Ethan Mushitz (So., IF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) came up with a clutch double to drive in Riley Thompson (So., OF, Owatonna, Minn.). Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B, Apple Valley, Minn.) would then come through with a big sacrifice fly to drive in Jason Angelo (So., IF, Manteca, Calif.) to give UMC the 2-1 lead. Reed Hjelle (Fr., 1B/OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) would continue the scoring when he singled to drive in Mushitz to make it 3-1 Golden Eagles.

The Miners would knot it up 3-3 in the bottom of the third. Tyler Bodenstab led off the inning with a triple down the left field line. Tyler Johnson would then single to drive in Bodenstab. Lance Portwood wold continue the scoring as he plated Nick Ulrich with a single through the right side to make it 3-3.

Missouri S&T would add a run in the fourth as Johnson came through with a single to drive in Bodenstab to make it 4-3 Miners.

Missouri S&T would come through with a big fifth inning to chase Nolan Wahlberg (Sr., RHP, Blaine, Minn.). Eli Miller would single to drive in Ulrich. Adam Richter then singled up the middle later in the inning to drive in Portwood.

The Miners would get three runs off of Marcus Campbell (Sr., RHP, St. Croix Falls, Wis.) in the sixth led by Miller's two RBI single to score Portwood and Ulrich.

The Golden Eagles would get a run in the seventh as Angelo doubled down the left field line to drive in Thompson. However, it would not be enough as Missouri S&T would win game one 10-4.

The Golden Eagles were led by Mushitz, who was 2-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Thompson would go 2-of-2 with two runs scored.

Wahlberg would get the loss after going 4.2 innings and giving up seven earned runs on 11 hits. Campbell would come on in relief and go 1.1 innings, giving up thre earned runs on three hits.

Aaron Bedsworth got the win for the Miners after going six innings and giving up just three runs on six hits.

The Miners were led by Bodenstab, who was 2-of-3 with three runs scored from his lead-off position. Portwood went 3-of-4 with two runs scored, while Miller was 2-of-3 with three RBI's.

In game two, the Golden Eagles would get things started early as Haggstrom hit a two-run homer, the first of a successful four-year career for the Apple-Valley native. He drove in himself and Mushitz to give UMC an early 2-0 advantage.

The Miners would cut the lead to 2-1 as Ulrich doubled down the left field line to drive in Johnson. Trevor Buttermore (Sr., RHP, North St. Paul, Minn.) would be able to get out of any more danger.

UMC would add a run in the top of the fourth as Colt Trebesch (Sr., IF, Glencoe, Minn.) singled down the right field line to drive in Zach Frazier (R-So., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.).

The Miners would chase Buttermore in the bottom of the sixth as they tied up the game 3-3. Portwood would lead the scoring off as Swindle reached on a fielder's choice. Miller then came through with a clutch hit, to drive in Burk to knot it up. Miller's hit came off Luke Thoma (Sr., RHP, Little Falls, Minn.), in relief of Buttermore. Thoma would get the Golden Eagles out of any further damage after Missouri S&T made it 3-3 going into the top of the seventh.

The Golden Eagles would get the scoring going quickly in the half-inning as Haggstrom reached on a walk. He would make his way around as he stole second, reached third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch to give UMC a 4-3 lead. Mack Preston would get out of any further trouble for Missouri S&T as he struck out the final two batters of the inning.


The Miners would tie it up 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh on an unearned run as Karbowski scored on an uncharacteristic throwing error from Haggstrom at first.
Luke Marcheschi came in and retired the Golden Eagles in order in the eighth as the game remained 4-4.

After Thoma started the bottom of the eighth on the hill, Nate Albrecht (Fr., LHP, Wahpeton, N.D.) would come on as a situational lefty in his first collegiate appearance. Albrecht would get one out but would hit two batters to load up the bases. Zach Seipel (Fr., RHP, Eagan, Minn.), UMC's closer, would then come on to try to get UMC out of the inning. However, Karbowski would single to drive in Swindle and Burk to give Missouri S&T the 6-4 lead.

Mushitz would lead off the ninth with a single to give UMC a runner with no out. Haggstrom would then get a single of his own to give UMC two on and no out. Patrick Higgins (Jr., OF, Eagan, Minn.) would come on to pinch hit for Jeremy Spinner (So., IF, Phoenix, Ariz.), however he would foul out. Giving UMC one out with two on. Hjelle would come through with a three-run home run, his first of his young career, to drive in Haggstrom and Mushitz to put UMC up 7-6 heading into the bottom of the ninth.


Seipel would run in to trouble in the bottom of the ninth. Bodenstab would start the rally with a pinch-hit single. Richter followed it up with a pinch-hit single of his own. After a walk, Swindle would reach on a fielder's choice, however Richter would score on a Mushitz throwing error to knot it up 7-7, which would also allow Bodenstab to score.


The loss went to Seipel, who went one inning and gave up just one earned up one three hits. Buttermore had the start and pitched well as he opened his senior season. He would go 5.1 innings and give up three earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Thoma would go two innings in relief and give up one earned run on one hit. Albrecht would give up one earned run, two hits by pitch in 0.1 innings.

Keith Coulson got the start for the Miners and went five innings with two earned runs on six hits and five strikeouts. Preston came on in relief and went two innings, giving up no earned runs on two hits. Luke Marcheschi got the win after going two innings and giving up three earned runs on three hits.


Mushitz was 3-of-5 with two runs scored. Haggstrom finished the game 2-of-4 with two RBI's and three runs scored, including his first career home run. Hjelle was 2-of-5 with three RBI's and one runs scored, including his first career home run.
The Golden Eagles will return to action Sun., Feb. 28 at 12 and 2 p.m. at the Missouri S&T Baseball Field in Rolla, Mo.

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.