CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team put together two hard fought performances on Monday as they lost game one 11-4 and won an astounding game two 6-3. The University of Minnesota Crookston would be put in a hole that was tough to fight back from in game one but would bounce back in a game two that came down to one final play to help the Golden Eagles secure a win, as Kristi Larson (Sr., IF, New Ulm, Minn.) hit a walk-off three-run home run, the first of her UMC career.

Minnesota Crookston improves to 9-35 overall and 3-22 in conference. The Mustangs improve to 15-26 overall and 11-13 in conference. UMC continues to show improvement and resolve, far exceeding last year's marks in both overall wins as well as conference wins. Minnesota Crookston finds themselves just two wins away from tying the all-time record for wins.

In game one, SMSU would be led at the plate by Janae Annetts (Jr., IF, Carnduff, SK, Canada) was 3-of-5 with two runs and two RBI and Alex Reak (Fr., IF, Elk River, Minn) was 4-of-4 with two runs and three RBI. Minnesota Crookston was led by Gabby Antolak (So., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.), who was 3-of-3 in the game.

In the first inning, Annetts would single to left field and would go on to steal second. She would find herself on third after she advanced on a line out to the pitcher. Mackenzie Clouse (So., C, Waconia, Minn.) would hit a single driving in Annetts for the first run of the day. That would be the only run scored in the inning.

UMC would not be down long as they scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead. Alexis Khoshaba (Sr., OF, Richmond, British Columbia) would hit a double to drive home Allison Foley (Sr., SS, Lockport, Ill.) and Victoria Bayliss (So., 2B/OF, West Bloomfield, Mich.), taking the lead at 2-1. UMC would leave two on base as the inning came to an end with a ground out to second. The Mustangs would have two on base but neither team would get a runner across in the third.

SMSU would come alive in the third as they retook the lead scoring six runs to go up 7-2. The Golden Eagles would struggle to stop the Mustangs as they gave up six hits in the inning. Costly fielding errors would put UMC at a disadvantage as the bases were loaded for the majority of the inning. Minnesota Crookston finally ended the inning with a throw out to second base.

After a scoreless third inning for UMC, the Golden Eagles would fight back in the fourth. Maycee Trujillo (Fr., C/3B. Sioux Falls, S.D.) would step up and hit a two run homerun to put the score at 7-4. Minnesota Crookston would leave one on as the inning concludes.

Southwest Minnesota State would add four insurance runs in the following innings and stop the Golden Eagles from any idea of a comeback only allowing three hits and no runs scored for the remainder of the game. The Mustangs would come away with the win 11-4.

In game two, UMC would put on an entertaining show as a last inning effort propelled the team to victory. The game would be knotted up 3-3 after the first inning and would remain so until an extraordinary walk off play was made by Larson.

In the first inning Southwest Minnesota State would get started early as Flack would score off of a single hit by Reak.

The Golden Eagles wouldn't stay down for long as their bats came alive tying the score up in the bottom of the third. UMC would be put in good position as Jozie Garner Jr., OF, Eureka, Kan.) reached on an error by the pitcher and proceeded to steal second base. Bayliss would get on with a single to center field. Allison Foley would get on with a single to left field, loading the bases for Minnesota Crookston. Antolak would single but Garner would be thrown out at home for the first out of the inning.

With the bases still loaded, Alexis Khoshaba would hit a single driving home Bayliss and Foley. Sammy Kuhlow (So., OF/1B, Big Lake, Minn.) would then hit a single driving home Antolak for the third score of the inning. The Golden Eagles would miss a huge opportunity to take the lead with the bases loaded again at the end of the inning but an untimely runner's interference call at second base would end the inning for UMC.

The score would remain idle at 3-3 through six leaving an opportunity for both teams to seize the moment.

Southwest Minnesota State would have their chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh. Annetts would be up to bat first but she grounded out to Larson at second base. Abbie Decker (Fr., OF, Dyersville, Iowa) would have her shot but would ground out to Foley at short stop. With two outs, Flack would get hit by a pitch to advance to first. Clouse would get walked putting a runner on first and second. Koloc would have her chance and would hit one to short stop and it would be a footrace between Foley and Clouse to second base. Foley would get there first resulting in the third out of the inning. SMSU would be challenged with the pressure of stopping the Golden Eagle bats to force extra innings.

Sam Rarick (Fr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) would have the first chance at bat and would pop out to second base. Brooke Timmins (Sr., C, Magnolia, Texas) would get things going for UMC with a single to center field that just seeped past a diving shortstop and second baseman. Sammy Kuhlow (So., OF/1B, Big Lake, Minn.) would go on to reach on an error by a Mustang third baseman. 

Their would be a runner on first and second as Larson stepped up to bat. Although she was hit by multiple pitches on the day, she would still rise to the occasion with a confidence that only a senior with a long line of experience such as hers would have. Larson would seize the moment and slam a hit to center field. As the ball was in the air, silence filled the audience as they watched the ball make its way closer and closer to the fence. The ball would just barely make it over the center field boundary resulting in Larson's first walk off home run of her career and the crowd went wild. Larson would be met at the plate by a congratulatory Golden Eagle team. UMC would cap off Senior Weekend with a resilient 6-3 winning performance as they picked up a split against the Mustangs.

Minnesota Crookston will conclude their three series home stand with two conference games against the University of Mary at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.  on Wed., April 20. University of Mary enters the contest 14-28 overall and 8-15 in conference.