SAINT PAUL, Minn.-The University of Minnesota Crookston Softball team struggled to gain traction as they dropped two games against Concordia University, St. Paul both by a score of 11-3. The Golden Eagles fall to 7-21 on the season and 1-7 in conference. The Golden Bears improve to 10-20 on the season and 4-6 in conference. The two games were set to be a pair of home games for Crookston but would be relocated to Saint Paul, Minn. due to weather.

In game one, Concordia St. Paul would do their work early as they scored two runs in the first, six runs in the second, and three runs in the third inning.

UMC would combat a strong start by the Golden Bears scoring three runs of their own in the first inning to start the game. Allison Foley (Sr., SS, Lockport, Ill.) would get things going as she continues her impressive season at bat hitting a single to center field leading to a score from Jozie Garner (Jr., OF, Eureka, Kan.).Alexis Khoshaba (Sr., OF, Richmond, British Columbia) would follow with a single up the middle to bring in Foley for the second score of the game. With Gabby Antolak (So, C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.) on third, Sammy Kuhlow (So., OF/1B, Big Lake, Minn.) would ground out to third base but would leave her team in good shape as Antolak scored while Brooke Timmins advanced to second and Khoshaba advanced to third. Maggie Morales (Fr., OF, Tucson, Ariz.) would not be able to capitalize as she lined out to third base to conclude the inning with the Golden Eagles winning by three runs to two.

 The wheels began to fall off for the Golden Eagles as six hits and six runs were given up in the top of the second. Minnesota Crookston would threaten to end the inning quick with two early outs but the Golden Bears would stay alive as they go on to load the bases. After a strike out, the Golden Bears will capitalize on their position as Carlie Hart (Fr., OF, Lake Elmo, Minn.) would score off of a Nicole Thompson (So., IF, Oakdale, Minn) single. Momentum would continue as Justine Schattner (Fr., IF/P, Twin Lakes, Wis.) would hit a single to right field as two Golden Bears score. UMC would finally get the third out of the inning with a fly ball to right field but not before giving up another three runs. The inning would end with a score of 8-3 in the Golden Bears favor.

UMC would do little to come back from a lackluster inning as they earned no hits in the bottom of the third. Concordia St. Paul would continue their commanding start tacking on three more runs in the top of the third. Both teams would fail to get much going as both teams combined for only three hits in the final two innings. The Golden Bears would win 11-3.
 
Game two would be much of the same as Concordia St. Paul was able to score six runs in the first three innings.

To start the second inning, Minnesota Crookston would get two quick outs putting Kristi Larson (Sr., IF, New Ulm, Minn.) at the plate to keep the Golden Eagles alive. She would single to left field and continue to second on a wild next pitch. Lexie Santoyo (Fr., OF, Kansas City, Mo.) would hit a single down the right field line resulting in a run for Larson. Victoria Bayliss (So., 2B, West Bloomfield, Mich.) would reach on a fielder's choice and Garner would advance to second but Santoyo would be out at third base to end the inning with a score of 4-1.

After a two run inning for the Golden Bears, UMC would battle in the third to score two runs of their own. Foley would start the inning with a powerful double to left field. Antolak would follow up with a single to right center as Foley gets the score. Khoshaba would get her second RBI of the day as she hit a single down the right field line to advance Antolak for the score.  Kate Howell (So., OF, Badger, Minn.) would make it to scoring position as she advanced to third and Larson would advance to first after being hit by a pitch but Santoyo would hit a pop fly to second to end the inning. UMC would leave the inning trailing 6-3.

After a scoreless fourth inning from both teams, CSP would come alive to score five runs on five hits to put the Golden Eagles away. Schattner would highlight this inning for Concordia-St. Paul as a double down the right field line led to three runs for Thompson, Jamie Fleischhacker (Sr., OF, Maplewood, Minn.), and Kelly Mckenzie (Sr., OF, Minnetonka, Minn.).

Junior, Sammy Knudson (Jr., P/UT, Fergus Falls, Minn) would take the place of Mikayla Jones (Fr., P/IF, Huxley, Iowa) at the mound to finish the game. Emily Shinn (Jr., IF, Lakeville, Minn,) would advance on a wild first pitch from Knudson and Liz Jarosz (Jr., 1B, Chippewa Falls, Wis.) would be walked. The top of the fifth would end on a ground out with the score being 11-3 in favor of the Golden Bears. UMC would come up short in the fifth as they had a scoreless fifth inning to end the game.

The University of Minnesota Crookston will have a chance to bounce back as they face Minnesota State University-Mankato tomorrow in a pair of conference road games starting at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Mavericks enter the game with a record of 25-9 overall and 8-2 on the season.