CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston ran into problems on the mound in a mid-week doubleheader against University of Sioux Falls Weds., April 6 at the UMC Baseball Field. The Golden Eagles fell 14-1 and 15-7 to the Cougars in the pair of games played on a cold April day in Northwest Minnesota.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 13-10 (6-3 NSIC) with the pair of losses. The Golden Eagles are still off to a great start to the season and are just one win away from tying their wins mark from last season. Sioux Falls hadn't played a game since March 25, but didn't look rusty as they improved to 10-11 (4-1 NSIC) with the series win.

The Golden Eagles would struggle on the mound and to get on base in game one as Sioux Falls pitcher Dylan Gavin had their number. Gavin had a no-hitter going into the fourth. The Cougar pitcher would get the win after giving up just one earned run on four hits with two strikeouts in five innings.

The loss for game one went to Cody Pamperin (Jr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.), who went 2.2 innings and gave up nine runs, only four of them earned due to errors, on seven hits with two strikeouts.

The Golden Eagle bats were led on game one by four players, who each got a hit. Ethan Mushitz (Jr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) was 1-of-3 with one RBI. Riley Thompson (So., OF, Owatonna, Minn.) would go 1-of-3 with one run scored. Reed Hjelle (Fr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 1-of-3, while Patrick Higgins (Jr., OF, Eagan, Minn.) was 1-of-3, as well.

In game two, the Golden Eagles had a 5-2 lead going into the top of the fourth after strong hitting and a good first three innings from Aaron Hollcraft (Fr., LHP, Crookston, Minn.) on the bump. However, Hollcraft would run into trouble in the fourth as the Cougars came up with seven runs to take it 7-5 lead. The Cougars wouldn't look back as they would come away with the 15-7 win.

UMC was led at the plate in the game by Kenny Perez (Sr., DH/1B, Orlando, Fla.), who was 3-of-4 with two RBI's. Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B/RHP, Apple Valley, Minn.) would go 2-of-4 with two runs scored, while Hjelle was 1-of-3 with two RBI's and one run scored. Jason Angelo (So., 3B, Manteca, Calif.) was 1-of-3 with one RBI and one run scored.

Hollcraft would get the game one loss after giving up eight earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched.

Sioux Falls would jump on the scoreboard first in game one, taking a 3-0 lead in the first. Rob Johnson would score the first run on a wild pitch. Ed Reichenbach would then hit a two-run home run to right center to plate himself and Matthew Minnick.

The Cougars would add two more in the second. Josh Rehwaldt would double to left field to plate Anthony Lopez. Trevor Crow then singled to plate Rehwaldt.

Sioux Falls would have a big third inning, scoring five runs. Rehwaldt would start it off by lacing a single to center field to plate Lopez and Gunner Peterson. Reichenbach would keep it going, hitting a double down the line to score Rehwaldt and Minnick. Crow would end the big inning with a double to left to score Reichenbach.

Sioux Falls would add one in the fourth and two more in the fifth to make it 13-0.

Minnesota Crookston would finally get on the board in the fifth as Mushitz singled to drive in Thompson to cut it to 13-1.

The Cougars added a run in the seventh to make it 14-1, the score they would win by.

UMC also used Zac Carrillo (Jr., RHP, Manteca, Calif.) out of the bullpen, who went 3.1 innings and gave up two earned runs on eight hits. Cayden Barta (Jr., RHP, Fargo, N.D.) would pitch the final inning and give up no earned runs on one hit.

In game two, Sioux Falls would take the early 1-0 lead when Johnson scored on a Rechenbach ground out.

UMC would score three runs in the first to take a 3-1 lead. Perez would hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Mushitz. The scoring would continue as Hjelle scored on an error by the catcher following a wild pitch, which allowed Haggstrom to score. The catcher had tried to make the throw to get Haggstrom out at the plate but it was errant, allowing Hjelle to cross, as well.

Sioux Falls would cut the lead to 3-2 when Peterson singled to drive in Connor Merriam.

UMC would respond as they got two in the third. Perez would single up the middle to plate Angelo. Hjelle would then hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Haggstrom.

After giving up just two runs through three, Hollcraft would run into trouble in the fourth.

The scoring started as Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to score Merriam. The rally would continue when Minnick singled to drive in Lopez. Rehwaldt would continue the rally with a single to plate Peterson. Reichenbach would then come up big with a two RBI single to drive in Rehwaldt and Minnick.

That is when Hollcraft would be pulled for Jarad Nelson (Sr., RHP, Karlstad, Minn.). Nelson would hit Merriam with the bases loaded to score Reichenbach. He then hit Lopez with the bases loaded to score Gavin.

The Golden Eagles would get a run back in the fourth as Hjelle was hit with the bases loaded to score Mushitz.

Still within striking distance, USF's Reichenbach would make it harder with a three-run home run to make it 12-6 in the fifth.

The Cougars would add a run in the sixth as Rehwaldt singled to drive home Johnson.

In the eighth frame, Johnson would triple to drive in Peterson and then score on an error by the cut-off man.


The Golden Eagles added one more run in the eighth as Angelo hit the sacrifice fly to score Zach Frazier (R-So., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.).

UMC got strong relief pitching late. Nate Albrecht (Fr., LHP, Wahpeton, N.D.) would go one inning and give up no runs on one hit. Marcus Campbell (Sr., RHP, St. Croix Falls, Wis.) would go one inning and give up one earned run on two hits. Matthew Dallas (Jr., RHP, Boise, Idaho) shut down the side in the ninth for the Golden Eagles.

The win for Sioux Falls went to Connor Oestreich, who was the most effective relief pitcher, going two innings and giving up no runs on no hits with two strikeouts.

The Golden Eagles will return to play as they open a four-game weekend series Sat., April 9 at 1 p.m. against Concordia University-St. Paul at the UMC Baseball Field.