CROOKSTON, Minn. – The pitching of
Bailey Braatz (Jr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.) Tuesday helped guide the University of Minnesota Crookston softball team to a split with Minot State University. The Golden Eagles won game one 3-2 in eight innings led by Braatz' pitching while they fell in five innings, 8-0, to Minot State in game two.
The Golden Eagles are now 7-19, continuing to show improvement in year two under Head Coach
Don Stopa. The Golden Eagles have almost doubled their win total from the 2015 season, in which they had four wins. Minot State's record moved to 12-12 on the season. Both teams are now 1-5 on the season.
In game one, Braatz gave up just one earned run on 10 hits in an eight-inning complete game with six strikeouts. Braatz had some tight spots but ultimately pitched out of them as she earned her second win of the season.
The Golden Eagle bats were led in the first game by
Jozie Garner (Jr., OF, Eureka, Kan.), who was 3-of-4 with one run scored, while
Alexis Khoshaba (Sr., OF, Richmond, British Columbia) was 2-of-2 with an RBI.
Minnesota Crookston would open up the scoring in the second frame when
Sammy Kuhlow (So., 1B/OF, Big Lake, Minn.) singled to drive in
Gabriel Antolak (So., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.). Pinch-runner
Kate Howell (So., OF, Badger, Minn.) would attempt to score but would be thrown out at the plate.
Minot State would even things up in the sixth when Isis Cabral hit an infield single to score pinch-runner Taylor Rizzari to make it 1-1.
UMC would get the run back in the bottom of the sixth when Khoshaba singled with two outs to drive in Antolak, who hit a ground-rule double, as the Golden Eagles took the 2-1 lead.
Minot State would knot it up 2-2 in the top of the seventh with two outs as Ashley Hill hit a single to drive in Jenn Spencer.
UMC would be unable to score in the bottom half of the seventh as the two teams went to extra innings.
After a lead-off single by Clarissa Ramirez for Minot State, Cabral would hit a sacrifice bunt to move the runner. Braatz then put two on with one out with a walk to Alyssa Cornejo. However, Braatz stepped up, striking out Spencer and getting Jordan Grant to ground out to keep it 2-2 going into the bottom of the eighth.
With the bases loaded, a wild pitch would score Garner as UMC came away with the 3-2 walk-off win.
The loss for Minot State went to Spencer, who went 7.1 innings and gave up three earned runs on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
In game two, Minot State would jump on
Heather Cunningham (So., RHP, Jacksonville, Fla.) early and not look back as they controlled the majority of the game.
The Beavers would take the 1-0 lead in the first when Grant would cross the plate on a Hill ground out.
Minot State extended their lead to 4-0 in the second. Grant would single to drive in Cronejo, however Khoshaba would mishandle the ball in right, allowing Cowden and Cabral to score on the error and make it 4-0 Beavers.
Minot State would add two more in the fourth when Rachel Burdette hit a two-run home run to center field.
They added two in the fifth when Ramirez, the pitcher, helped out herself, with a double to drive in Grant and Cowden. UMC would be unable to get a run in the fifth as Minot State would win by the eight-run rule after five.
UMC had five hits in game two. Antolak, Khoshaba,
Brooke Timmins (Sr., C, Magnolia, Texas),
Morgan Duda (Fr., UT, Clinton Township, Mich.) and
Kaylin Beatty (Sr., OF, Andover, Minn.).
Cunningham fell to 3-6 on the season after giving up four earned runs on 11 hits in 3.2 innings.
Mikayla Jones (Fr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) came on in relief and gave up two earned runs on two hits with two strikeouts.
The win for Minot State went to Ramirez, who went five innings and pitched shutout ball, giving up no runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.
The Golden Eagles are slated to host Concordia University, St. Paul Sat., April 2 at 1 and 3 p.m. and Minnesota State University, Mankato at 12 and 2 p.m. at the UMC Softball Field.
