MINOT, N.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up a split with Minot State University Wed., May 4 at Corbett Field in Minot, N.D. The Golden Eagles fell 8-3 in game two after leading early, but bounced back for a 13-5 win over the Beavers in game two.

The UMC win, along with a Wayne State College (Neb.) loss to Minnesota State University, Mankato on a two-run walk-off home run by Josh Wenzel in extra innings, clinches UMC's first NSIC tournament berth since 2001. The 2001 team made the tournament when it was an eight-league team and four teams earned a spot in the tournament.
The Golden Eagles still have a lot on the line as they play for seeding in the tournament. The Golden Eagles are now 24-16 (17-8 NSIC). UMC is still sitting in fourth place in the conference standings heading into their four final games.

UMC was led in their win by a strong pitching performance from Jarad Nelson (Sr., RHP, Karlstad, Minn.), who went six innings and gave up just two earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. He picked up his sixth win of the season with his performance Wednesday.

At the plate, Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B, Apple Valley, Minn.) had a big game two, going 5-of-5 with four RBI's, four runs scored, a double and his fourth home run of the season. The home run was also Haggstrom's 200^th hit, as the all-time hits leader became the first player in school history to reach 200 hits.

The Golden Eagles jumped on Minot State in the top of the second of game one when Riley Thompson (So., OF, Owatonna, Minn.) hit a two-run shot to drive in himself and Ethan Mushitz (So., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and put UMC up 2-0.

Thoma would dominate on the mound through 3.2 innings until Celestino Rodriguez would end his no-hitter with a solo shot to left center to cut the UMC lead to 2-1. Luke Thoma (Sr., RHP, Little Falls, Minn.) would get a pop out to get out of any more danger in the fourth.

The Beavers would threaten in the fifth and force Thoma out of the game after a solid outing. Austin Berntson started things off for Minot State with a single up the middle. Thoma then dealt a walk to Taylor Williamson to give the Beavers two on and no out. A bunt single from Jarrod Adams would force Head Coach Steve Gust to go to the bullpen, where he called upon Cody Pamperin (Jr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.).

Pamperin would strike out the first batter faced in the fifth. With one out, Kyle Williamson would single to drive in Berntson to knot the score up at 2-2. Pamperin would strike out Sean Alp in the next at-bat. However, he would give up the go-ahead run on a walk with the bases loaded to Jordan Schulz. A Rodriguez single to drive in a pair would make it 5-2. The Beavers would continue their big inning with a single from Michael Borst to drive in the sixth run. Pamperin would get out of the inning with his third strike out of the frame. However, Minot State would lead 6-2.

The Beavers would add a run with two outs as Kyle Williamson doubled to drive home Taylor Williamson to make it 7-2 Minot State. The Beavers would add a run as Alp singled to drive in Kyle Williamson and make it 8-2. The Golden Eagles would catch Alp between the bases to get the third out of the inning.

Minnesota Crookston would cut the advantage to 8-3 in the top of the seventh as Mushitz doubled to drive in fellow East Grand Forks product Reed Hjelle (Fr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.). Mushitz would be out at third trying to stretch a double into a triple. That would be all UMC could do as Minot State would hang on for the 8-3 win.

The victory for Minot State went to Kendal Daniels, who went the complete game and gave up two earned runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts.

Thoma got the start and suffered the loss after going four innings, giving up four earned runs on three hits with one strikeout.

The UMC bats would look to Thompson, who was 2-of-2 with two RBI's and one run scored.

UMC would jump out early in game two on a Haggstrom home run over the left field fence. The bomb was his fourth of the season and of his career. The home run was also Haggstrom's 200^th hit.

Minot State would have the equalizer in the bottom of the first as Alp had the solo shot for the Beavers to knot it up 1-1.

Nelson pitched out of a dangerous situation in the bottom of the third with two runners on with one out. The senior would come through and get two outs to hold the game at 1-1.

Zach Frazier (R-So., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) would lead the third off with an infield single, on which he advanced to third on an error. A sacrifice fly from Colton Haight (Sr., C/OF, Rogers, Minn.) with one out would drive in Frazier to make it 2-1 Golden Eagles. A hard-hit single from Haggstrom to left would drive in Thompson to extend the UMC advantage to 3-1.

A Rodriguez single would drive in Alp to cut the UMC lead to 3-2. The tying run would cross on a Nelson wild pitch to know it up 3-3. Nelson would be able to pitch out of further damage with a Keith Ailes line out.

The Golden Eagles would break the tie as Haggstrom came through for UMC again with a single to drive in Jason Angelo (So., 3B, Manteca, Calif.) and Frazier. Perez would extend the lead for UMC with a single to drive in Haight.

Haggstrom would then come through on a wild pitch to extend the Golden Eagle advantage to 7-3.

UMC would extend the lead in the seventh inning. After Haggstrom's third hit of the day, both him and Haight would advance on a wild pitch, scoring Haight to make it 8-3. Haggstrom would score on a Perez ground out to give the Golden Eagles a 9-3 lead.

Minot State would get to reliever Colt Trebesch (Sr., RHP, Glencoe, Minn.) in the bottom of the seventh led by a two-run home run from Rodriguez, to continue his big day. Pamperin would come on for his second appearance of the day to get UMC out any further trouble.

UMC would pad their 9-5 lead in the top of the ninth as Hjelle singled to drive in Haggstrom, after he earned his fifth hit of the day. Mushitz would line one up the middle to extend the lead further, driving in pinch-runner Timothy Scott, Jr. (Sr., OF, Macon, Ga.) to make it 11-5. The Golden Eagles would extend their lead to 13-5 as Thomas Kinsella (Sr., 2B, North Branch, Minn.) doubled to drive in Mushitz and Hjelle.

The Golden Eagles were led by Haggstrom's 5-of-5 performance, while Perez was 2-of-5 with two RBI's and one run scored. Frazier would go 2-of-4 with two runs scored.
Minnesota Crookston will wrap up the regular-season on Fri., May 6 and Sat., May 7 at 2 and 4:30 p.m. against Northern State University. Friday will mark Senior Day as the Golden Eagles honor their 12 seniors and everything they have meant to the program, as well as helping the rise of UMC baseball over the past two years.