CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell 14-1 and 15-2 to Northern State University Sat., April 7 at UMC Baseball Field. While it wasn't the way the Golden Eagles wanted to end the regular-season, they still had a lot to be proud of. Minnesota Crookston will advance to their first NSIC Baseball Tournament since 2001 when the conference had just eight teams. Now a 15-team baseball league, the Golden Eagles will look to get some wins in the double-elimination tournament.

Minnesota Crookston ends the regular-season with a 25-19 (18-11 NSIC) mark on the season. Both are program-bests as the Golden Eagles have shattered many of those numbers this season. The turnaround that has happened in Crookston in just a two-year span has been nothing short of miraculous with the work done by Head Coach Steve Gust and the entire team. Gust inherited a team that had gone 2-89 in the previous two seasons and has now led them to their first NSIC Tournament in 15 years.

The Golden Eagles will face No. 3 seed St. Cloud State University on Wed., May 11 at Dick Putz Field at 3 p.m. The winner of the first game will go on to face the winner of Northern State University and Augustana University at 12 p.m. at Dick Putz Field on Thurs., May 12, while the loser of the first game will face the loser of Augustana and Northern State on Wed., May 11 at 7 p.m. at Dick Putz Field in an elimination game.

Northern State University finished the regular-season with a 21-22 (14-16 NSIC) mark as they played  their way into the NSIC tournament field with their showing against the Golden Eagles.

Aside from the baseball played Saturday, the day was highlighted by the 12 seniors who played their final games at UMC Baseball Field: Trevor Buttermore (Sr., RHP, North St. Paul, Minn.), Marcus Campbell (Sr., RHP, St. Croix Falls, Wis.), Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B, Apple Valley, Minn.), Colton Haight (Sr., C/OF, Rogers, Minn.), Thomas Kinsella (Sr., 2B, North Branch, Minn.), Jarad Nelson (Sr., RHP, Karlstad, Minn.) Dalton Parks (Sr., OF, West Valley City, Utah), Kenny Perez (Sr., DH/1B, Orlando, Fla.), Timothy Scott, Jr. (Sr., OF, Macon, Ga.), Luke Thoma (Sr., RHP, Little Falls, Minn.), Colt Trebesch (Sr., RHP/3B, Glencoe, Minn.) and Nolan Wahlberg (Sr., RHP, Blaine, Minn.).

In addition, Buttermore, Campbell, Haggstrom, Haight, Thoma and Wahlberg, all who have finished their degrees at UMC, had the unique opportunity to take part in graduation on the baseball diamond. Chancellor Fred Wood and several faculty members presented the six seniors with their diplomas on Saturday right in front of home plate at UMC Baseball Field. A unique memory that all will be able to share for a lifetime.

As for the baseball on Saturday, UMC gave the ball in game one to Luke Thoma (Sr., RHP, Little Falls, Minn.). Thoma would have a solid outing, going four innings and giving up three earned runs on eight hits. Thoma would suffer the loss on the game.

UMC's lone run would come in the first as Perez singled to drive in Haggstrom.

Northern State had 14 runs on 19 hits. The Wolves were led by Jack Schmidt, who went 4-of-5 with two RBI's and two runs scored. Lucas Lorenz would go 4-of-5 with two RBI's and two runs scored. Mikey Barreneche went 2-of-4 with one RBI and two run scored.

The win in game one would go to Colton Boucher, who gave up no earned runs on four hits in a complete game with six strikeouts.

In game two, Jarad Nelson (Sr., RHP, Karlstad, Minn.) would get the start and go five innings, giving up four earned runs on 10 hits.

Parks would lead UMC in the game, going 2-of-3.

Northern State would put up a big seven-run inning in the third to help catapult them to the win.

UMC's first run of the game would come in the fourth at Perez hit his 10^th home run of the season.

The Golden Eagles would score their second run of the game in the seventh as David Olson (Jr., C, Stillwater, Minn.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Ethan Mushitz (So., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.).

Also during the game, Haggstrom was presented as UMC Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year, an award he earned earlier this year but had to miss the banquet due to games the next day at University of Minnesota Duluth. 

Haggstrom has had a great career at UMC, shattering almost every record you could think of including games played, games started, hits, runs scored, RBI's, doubles, triples and total bases.

The NSIC Tournament will be played from May 11-14 in St. Cloud, Minn., at neighboring Joe Faber Field and Dick Putz Field. It is a double-elimination tournament. The Championship series will be played on Sat., May 14 at Faber Field at 12 p.m., and if necessary 3:30 p.m.