CLEARWATER, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team struggled defensively and on the mound as they fell 20-8 to a strong University of Missouri-St. Louis team Sat., March 12 as they opened up play in the Extra Innings Youth Baseball Clearwater Invitational at Frank Tack Park in Clearwater, Fla. The Golden Eagles fall to 3-6 on the season, while the Tritons improved to 10-1 on the season.

Minnesota Crookston was led on the day by Kenny Perez (Sr., DH, Orlando, Fla.), who was 2-of-4 with three RBI's and one run scored. Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B/RHP, Apple Valley, Minn.) went 2-of-4 with two runs scored. Patrick Amerson (Jr., IF, Eloy, Ariz.) came off the bench and had an impact, going 2-of-3 with one run scored, while Colton Haight (Sr., C/OF, Rogers, Minn.) went 2-of-5 with one RBI and one run scored.

The Golden Eagles had 13 hits on the game, while Missouri-St. Louis finished with 17. UMC's pitchers would give up 13 walks on the day and the Golden Eagles would have four errors all coming from the left-side of the infield.

Kevin Smith got the win for the Tritons after going five innings and giving up four runs, only on earned, on four hits with just one strikeout.

Zac Carrillo (Jr., RHP, Manteca, Calif.) would take the loss after struggling out of the gate. He would give up six earned runs on six hits with two walks.

Missouri-St. Louis started the scoring in the top of the first with two outs as JonMichael Weaver doubled to center field to drive in Jose Ortiz. Tanner Hudson would then single through the right side to plate Weaver to make it 2-0.

UMC would match the Tritons in the bottom of the first. Ethan Mushitz (So., IF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) singled and advanced on an error by Smith on the mound. Jason Angelo (So., IF, Manteca, Calif.) would score. Mushitz would score to knot the game up at 2-2 as Reed Hjelle (Fr., 1B/OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) grounded out.

Missouri-St. Louis would chase Carrillo in the second. With one out, Gian Gomez would single to drive in Rob Hoffman. Justin Busekrus then hit a two-run home run to drive in himself and Gomez to make it 5-2.

After hitting two batters with pitches, Domnic Orlando would double off Carrillo to drive in Hudson and Weaver.

Cayden Barta (Jr., RHP, Fargo, N.D.) would relieve Carrillo and get two outs.

UMC would get the bases loaded in the second, but Smith would get the two batters out as the Golden Eagles remained behind 8-2.

The Tritons would extend the lead to 9-2 in the third. With the bases loaded, Buskerus would hit a sacrifice fly to score Hoffman, who reached on a Mushitz error. Orlando would hit a two RBI single later in the inning to score Weaver and Ortiz.

Missouri-St. Louis added two in the fourth and chased Barta. The Tritons would be led by a Gomez two-RBI single to drive in Hoffman and Jake Daily.

Aaron Hollcraft (Fr., LHP, Crookston, Minn.) would make his first appearance as a baseball player after spending the Winter on the basketball court. Hollcraft would get Weaver to hit into a double play to hold the Missouri-St. Louis lead at 11-2.

The Tritons would add three runs in the top of fifth off Colt Trebesch (Sr., IF/RHP, Glencoe, Minn.) as he gave up two walks early on. Daily would then single to drive in Orlando. An Ortiz double to plate Daily and Tom DeCero to make it 14-2.

UMC would finally fight back in the bottom of the fifth. Perez singled up the middle to drive in Haggstrom. Hjelle would then hit a sacrifice fly to score Haight to cut the deficit to 14-4.

Nate Albrecht (Fr., LHP, Wahpeton, N.D.) would pitch the top of the sixth. Missouri-St. Louis would get one run despite strong pitching from Albrecht. DeCero would reach on an Angelo error at third and allow Hudson to score to make it 15-4.

Skyler Carlson (Jr., LHP, Thompson, N.D.) would pitch the seventh and finally shut down the Tritons, giving up two walks, but no hits and no runs.

UMC would get two back in the bottom of the seventh. Haggstrom would lead the inning off with a double. Perez would then belt the ball for a double to left to drive in Haggstrom to cut the lead to 15-5. With the bases loaded, Kyle Wilson would relieve Tyler Scimio, who had come on in relief. Mitchell Bornhauser (So., OF, Northfield, Minn.) would come through with a clutch hit with a single to right to score Perez. Hjelle would be thrown out at home, but UMC was able to cut the lead to 15-6.

Missouri-St. Louis would get three runs off of Matthew Dallas (Jr., RHP, Boise, Idaho) in the eighth led by a Nick Ulrey two-RBI triple.

UMC would get two back in the bottom of the eighth led by a Haight double to drive in Amerson. A Perez groundout would score Jeremy Spinner (So., Phoenix, Ariz.)

The Tritons added two in the top of the ninth as they won 20-8.

The Golden Eagles will return to action as they take on Grand Valley State University Sun., March 13 at 12 p.m. C.T. at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla.