CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program opened up a four game series with Upper Iowa University with a split on Sun., April 17. The Golden Eagles took game one 8-7 against the Peacocks as they got several strong pitching performances and key home runs from Kenny Perez (Sr., DH/1B, Orlando, Fla.) and Colton Haight (Sr., C/OF, Rogers, Minn.), as well as several other key hits. In game two, UMC was one-hit by Zach Carstens as they fell 14-0 in game two.

Minnesota Crookston is still off to one of their best starts in program history as they are now 16-11 (9-4 NSIC) with the split. Upper Iowa is 11-17 (7-10 NSIC) with the split on the day. The Golden Eagles are sitting in fourth place in the NSIC standings as they head into their last 17 games of the season.

Minnesota Crookston had nine hits in game one on Sunday. The Golden Eagles were led on the day by Perez, who was 2-of-2 with three RBI's and two runs scored with his team-leading seventh home run of the year. Haight went 2-for-2 with four RBI's and one run scored on the day as he hit his second home run of the season. Reed Hjelle (Fr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 2-of-3 in game one with two runs and one RBI, while Jason Angelo (So., 3B, Manteca, Calif.) was 2-of-3 with one runs scored.

 On the mound, the Golden Eagles were led by a stand-out performance from their bullpen. The Golden Eagle pen, allowed just one run on one hit in 2.2 innings pitched, as they helped Minnesota Crookston pick up the win. Wyatt Huso (R-So., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) picked up his first win of the season after going 0.2 innings and getting UMC out of trouble, giving up no runs on no hits as she shut down the Peacocks.

Cody Pamperin (Jr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.) came in and preserved the lead, shutting down Upper Iowa in the eighth. Zach Seipel (Fr., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) would give up one run and would have the game-tying run on the third in the form of Luis Ravelo, but Seipel would come through for the save, his seventh of the year, as the Golden Eagles would pick up the win.

The story of game two would be a simple one as Carstens shut down the Golden Eagles. UMC would only have one hits and four base-runners overall in game two. The one hit on game two came from Haight.

Carstens would throw seven shutout innings, giving up the one hit and two walks with six strikeouts.

The game one scoring for UMC would start in the first when Perez started out a big game with a double to drive home Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B/RHP, Apple Valley, Minn.) and Angelo. Haight would then drive the ball off of the left field pole for a three-run home run to score himself, Hjelle and Perez. The Golden Eagles would take the 5-0 lead.

Upper Iowa would respond in the second as they tied it up 5-5. Ravelo would come through with a triple to drive in Anthony Calton and Jacob Stenberg. Cody Booker then singled to drive in Ravelo. Mitch Moser would come through with a home run for the Peacocks to drive in himself and Pooker to make it 5-5.

The Golden Eagles would take the lead back as Perez blasted his seventh home run of the year to make it 6-5 in the third.

Upper Iowa would respond in the fifth when Ravelo reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Calton to tie it up 6-6. The Peacocks would chase started Luke Thoma (Sr., RHP, Little Falls, Minn.) fro mthe game in the fifth.

Thoma would go 4.1 innings and give up five earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.

Huso would come on and shut down the Peacocks to get out of the fifth.

The Golden Eagles would take the lead back 7-6 in their half of the fifth when Hjelle hit a double to center field to drive in pinch-runner Colt Trebesch (Sr., 3B/RHP, Glencoe, Minn.). The game-winning run would cross in the fifth for UMC when Haight singled to drive in Hjelle to make it 8-6.

In the top of the seventh, the Peacocks would have one final chance. Ravelo would triple to drive in Stenberg with two outs, but Seipel would strike out Booker to preserve the win. The freshman would strike out three in the frame as he picked up the save.

The loss in game one went to Tyus Adkins, who gave up eight earned runs on nine hits in 4.2 innings pitched.

In game two, the Golden Eagles ran into big trouble in the fourth as Upper Iowa scored seven runs. The Peacocks were led by Moser, who was 2-of-4 with four RBI's and one run scored. Booker went 2-of-3 with two RBI's and one run scored. Jordan Kearns went 3-of-3 with two RBI's and three runs scored.

The loss for UMC went to Trevor Buttermore (Sr., RHP, North St. Paul, MInn.), who gave up eight earned runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts.

The Golden Eagles got a strong performance out of the bullpen from Skyler Carlson (Jr., LHP, Thompson, N.D.), who went 3.1 innings and gave up two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts.

Minnesota Crookston will conclude the series with Upper Iowa Mon., April 18 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. at UMC Baseball Field.