CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program picked up their fourth Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) series win of the year with a sweep of Upper Iowa University. The Golden Eagles swooped in on the Peacocks and came away with wins by 11-4 in game one and 7-1 in game two. UMC saved their bullpen following outstanding outings on the mound from Nolan Wahlberg (Sr., RHP, Blaine, Minn.) and Jarad Nelson (Sr., RHP, Karlstad, Minn.), who both threw complete games for the Golden Eagles.

Minnesota Crookston improves to 18-11 (11-4 NSIC), as they surpass 10 wins in conference play for the first time in school history. The Golden Eagles continue to mark off more program firsts in 2016 as they now sit in fourth place in the NSIC standings, heading into the home stretch. The Golden Eagles are just two wins from 20 wins and have now won 32 games in two years after just two wins in the previous two seasons.

Upper Iowa falls to 11-18 (7-11 NSIC) with the losses on Monday. The Peacocks now sit in 10^th place in the NSIC.

In addition to strong pitching, the Golden Eagles got clutch hitting on the day. Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B/RHP, Apple Valley, Minn.) was big in game one, going 3-of-4 with three RBI's and three runs scored. Haggstrom came up big in the third inning of game one with a bases clearing triple. Haggstrom has been an integral part of the turnaround. The senior is hitting .409 this season with a team-leading 32 runs scored. He is second on the team with 28 RBI's on the year.

In game two, UMC would spread 10 hits around their line-up. Jason Angelo (So., 3B, Manteca, Calif.), would lead the team by going 2-of-4 with 2 RBI's and one run scored. Kenny Perez (Sr., DH/1B, Orlando, Fla.) was 2-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored on the game.

In addition to Haggstrom, Angelo would also have a strong game one, going 2-of-3 with two runs scored. Perez would go 2-of-4 with two RBI's and one run scored.

Upper Iowa started out the scoring in the second as Jacob Stenberg reached on a fielder's choice and Colton Janssen would be called safe at home as they ruled that Zach Frazier (R-So., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) missed the tag. The Peacocks would add another run in the inning when Jake Greco doubled to drive in Stenberg to make it 2-0.

UMC would respond in the third. Ethan Mushitz (So., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) came through with a single to drive in Thomas Kinsella (Sr., 2B, North Branch, Minn.) to cut the lead to 2-1. Two batters later, Haggstrom would come through in the biggest way with his bases clearing triple to score Mushitz, Angelo and Mitchell Bornhauser (So., OF, Northfield, Minn.) to put the Golden Eagles up 4-2. Colton Haight (Sr., C/OF, Rogers, Minn.) would follow his good friend Haggstrom two batters later with a triple of his own to plate Haggstrom and Reed Hjelle (Fr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) to make it 6-2.
The Golden Eagles would pad their lead in the fifth. Perez would single up the middle to drive in Angelo to make it 7-2. Hjelle then came through with a single to drive in Haggstrom to put UMC up 8-2. The Golden Eagles would make it 10-2 as Kinsella reached on a single and drove in Perez. Hjelle would come across on a misplayed ball by the right fielder.
 
The Peacocks would cut in the lead in the sixth. With the bases loaded, Greco would ground out to drive in Anthony Calton. Alex George would come through later in the frame with a single to drive in Janssen to cut the lead to 10-4.

UMC would add a final run in the sixth as Perez singled to drive home Haggstrom to make it 11-4.

The loss for Upper Iowa went to Tanner Poor, who pitched three innings and gave up six earned runs on six hits with one strikeout.

Nelson got the game one win after giving up just one earned run in the complete game with three strikeouts and just six hits given up.

In game two, Wahlberg would get the win, his conference-leading seventh of the season. Wahlberg would get the complete game and give up just one earned run on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

The loss for Upper Iowa went to Zac Cain, who gave up four earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched.

Perez started the scoring in the bottom of the first as he singled to left to drive in Mushitz and make it 1-0. Later in the inning, Angelo would cross on a Hjelle ground out.

UMC would add a pair of runs in the second to push the lead to 4-0. Kinsella would cross on an error by the first baseman. Angelo would single the next at-bat to drive home Frazier.

In the third, Haight came through with a single to left to drive in Perez to make it 5-0. Kinsella would then reach on a fielder's choice as Hjelle crossed the plate to make it 6-0.
Upper Iowa would get their lone run in the eighth as Cody Booker hit a solo home run to right field off of Wahlberg.

UMC got the run back in the eighth when Angelo singled to drive in Bornhauser to push the lead to 7-1, a lead the Golden Eagles would not give up.

Minnesota Crookston will return to action Wed., as they have a big mid-week doubleheader at University of Minnesota Duluth, who is currently in second place in the NSIC standings. The games are scheduled for 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. in Duluth, MInn.