CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program will officially open up the 2017 season Fri., Feb. 24 with a late-night doubleheader against Minot State University at U.S. Bank Stadium, the brand-new state-of-the-art domed facility that is home to the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings. The Golden Eagles will play the Beavers at 10 p.m. Friday and an approximate 12:30 a.m. start Sat., Feb. 25. UMC will then face Minnesota State University-Mankato Sat., Feb. 25 at 10 p.m. at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Minnesota Crookston will look to follow up a breakout season in 2016 as they posted their best mark in school history with a 25-21 mark. The Golden Eagles would finish sixth in the league after winning just two games combined during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. UMC would win 14 games in Head Coach Steve Gust's first season leading the ship for Minnesota Crookston in 2015.

The Golden Eagles lost several pieces off of last year's team with a strong senior class graduating. Gone are their aces of their staff Nolan Wahlberg, an All-NSIC Second Team pick, and Jarad Nelson, along with key bats Kenny Perez, an All-NSIC and All-Central Region player, Ryan Haggstrom and Colton Haight. UMC graduated 12 players in total off of the roster.

UMC does return a strong core of talent from last season's surprise run. The Golden Eagles will look to one of the nation's best closers from last season in Zach Seipel (So., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) to lead the way. Seipel posted a 2-1 mark with a 4.24 ERA with a conference-leading 11 saves in 17 innings pitched. He would earn All-NSIC Second Team honors in 2016. Seipel will look to follow up his big season as he enters his sophomore campaign.

In addition to Seipel, Cody Pamperin (Sr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.), a four-year impact pitcher, returns for the Golden Eagles. Pamperin worked mainly in a set-up role for Seipel last season. He would go 3-2 with a 5.74 ERA in 31.1 innings pitched. Pamperin is projected as a starter heading into the 2017 season. UMC will have a relatively untested staff otherwise but they have several impact arms who will look to prove themselves against NCAA Division II competition.

At the plate, the Golden Eagles look to Reed Hjelle (So., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.), who will make the move from the outfield to first base this season to replace the graduated Haggstrom. Hjelle led the team with a .387 batting average. He would score 39 runs, tally 13 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 38 RBI's.

In addition to Hjelle, UMC returns Jason Angelo (Jr., IF, Manteca, Calif.), who is slated to move from third base to second base. Angelo hit .389 last season with 33 runs scored, two home runs and 24 RBI's. Ethan Mushitz (Jr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) gives the Golden Eagles a three-year starter in the hole. He hit .374 last season with 39 runs scored, eight doubles and 22 RBI's. Behind the plate, UMC will look to Zach Frazier (R-Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.), who is a strong leader behind the dish. Frazier's bat has continued to progress, as well. He hit .236 last season with 21 runs scored, four doubles, three home runs and 18 RBI's. Riley Thompson (Jr., OF, Owatonna, Minn.) also was a starter last season and hit .369 on the year with 19 runs scored and 15 RBI's.

The Golden Eagles also have several young and unproven bats who will look to make a jump to the starting line-up during the 2017 campaign.

Minot State posted a 10-33 mark last season. They would go 7-22 in conference play. The Beavers are led by senior outfielder Jordan Schulz, who batted .385 last season with 48 runs scored, 11 doubles, nine home runs and 46 RBI's. In addition to Schulz, Michael Borst hit .358 last season with 17 runs scored, six home runs and 28 RBI's.

On the mound, the Beavers struggled last season with a 9.78 team ERA. Minot State returns senior Kendal Daniels to lead the way. He went 2-3 with a 5.98 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched last season. In addition, junior Wyatt Moore returns after going 1-3 with a 7.16 ERA.

The Beavers are under new leadership this season as former St. Cloud State University pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Scott Eul takes the post.

UMC's opponent Saturday evening will be Minnesota State University, who posted a 36-18 mark on the season. The Mavericks would make it to the NCAA Central Regional, where they would go 2-2 overall. Minnesota State is led by senior infielder Eric Peterson, who hit .351 last season with 62 runs scored, 11 doubles, three triples and four home runs. Luke Waldek also returns after hitting .344 last season with 38 runs scored, 13 doubles, seven home runs and 52 RBI's.

On the bump, the Mavericks look to junior righty Dalton Roach, who was 6-2 last season with a 3.34 ERA in 57.1 innings pitched. Minnesota State also returns senior righty Mitchell Bauer, who was 6-4 with a 4.18 ERA in 60.1 innings pitched.

2017 Minnesota Crookston Travel Roster

1

Anthony Stewart

OF

5-10

155

R-Jr.

L

L

Oak Harbor, Wash.

Southeast C.C.

2

Patrick Amerson

IF

5-8

170

Sr.

R

R

Eloy, Ariz.

Dakota Wesleyan University

3

Jeremy Spinner

IF

5-8

140

Jr.

R

R

Phoenix, Ariz.

Dakota College at Bottineau

4

Clarke Peterson

C

5-6

190

R-Fr.

R

R

East Grand Forks, Minn.

East Grand Forks H.S.

5

James Cullinane

OF

6-1

185

Jr.

R

R

San Francisco, Calif.

City College of San Francisco

6

David Anaya

UT

5-11

170

R-Jr.

R

R

Tucson, Ariz.

Dakota Wesleyan University

7

Zach Frazier

C

6-4

210

R-Jr.

R

R

Grand Rapids, Minn.

Grand Rapids H.S.

8

Scott Mortenson

OF

5-11

165

Jr.

L

R

East Grand Forks, Minn.

St. Cloud Technical and Community College

9

Matthew Dallas

RHP

6-0

195

Sr.

R

R

Boise, Idaho

Blue Mountain Community College

10

Jason Angelo

IF

5-10

165

Jr.

R

R

Manteca, Calif.

City College of San Francisco

11

Patrick Higgins

OF

5-10

190

Sr.

R

R

Eagan, Minn.

Eagan H.S.

13

Adam Shykes

2B/SS

5-8

150

Fr.

L

L

Duluth, Minn.

Duluth Denfeld H.S.

14

Gabriel Cavasos

RHP

5-9

215

Jr.

R

R

San Antonio, Texas

Northland Community and Technical College

15

Eric Newman

RHP

6-3

210

R-Fr.

R

R

Buffalo, Minn.

Buffalo H.S.

16

Jacob Butcher

RHP

6-0

180

R-Jr.

R

R

Palmer, Alaska

Blue Mountain Community College

17

Wyatt Huso

RHP

6-2

230

R-Jr.

R

R

Eagan, Minn.

Eagan H.S.

18

Justin Yutrzenka

RHP

5-10

190

Fr.

R

R

Argyle, Minn.

Stephen-Argyle H.S.

19

Riley Thompson

OF

6-1

190

Jr.

R

R

Owatonna, Minn.

Owatonna H.S.

20

Mitchell Bornhauser

OF

5-11

190

Jr.

R

R

Northfield, Minn.

Northfield H.S.

21

Zach Seipel

RHP

6-3

200

So.

R

R

Eagan, Minn.

Eagan H.S.

23

Parker Hanson

RHP

6-1

185

So.

R

R

Hawley, Minn.

Dakota County Technical College

24

Cayden Barta

RHP

6-4

180

Sr.

R

R

Fargo, N.D.

Fargo Davies H.S.

25

Aaron Hollcraft

LHP

6-0

185

So.

L

L

Crookston, Minn.

Crookston H.S.

26

David Olson

C

6-0

210

Sr.

R

R

Stillwater, Minn.

Vermillion C.C.

27

Ethan Mushitz

SS

6-0

170

Jr.

L

R

East Grand Forks, Minn.

East Grand Forks H.S.

28

Matt Nelson

1B/DH

6-3

230

R-So.

R

R

Lakeville, Minn.

Lakeville South H.S.

29

Wyatt Peppel

OF

6-0

240

R-Fr.

R

R

Greenbush, Minn.

Badger-Middle River-Greenbush H.S.

30

Nate Albrecht

LHP

6-1

245

So.

L

L

Wahpeton, N.D.

Wahpeton H.S.

31

Zac Carrillo

RHP

6-1

170

Sr.

R

R

Stockton, Calif.

City College of San Francisco

32

Hunter Baldwin

3B/RHP

6-3

215

So.

R

R

St. Thomas, N.D.

Mayville State University

33

Reed Hjelle

1B

6-2

210

So.

R

R

East Grand Forks, Minn.

East Grand Forks H.S.

34

Cody Pamperin

RHP

6-0

215

Sr.

R

R

Shakopee, Minn.

Shakopee H.S.

35

Jayden Grover

RHP

6-3

210

Fr.

R

R

Cooperstown, N.D.

Griggs County Central H.S.

38

Esten Beneda

RHP

6-1

225

R-Fr.

R

R

Lankin, N.D.

Fordville-Lankin H.S.

39

Owen Ellefson

RHP

6-4

180

Jr.

R

R

Argyle, Minn.

Northland Community and Technical College

42

Brandon Kresl

1B

6-1

210

Sr.

R

R

Crookston, Minn.

Crookston H.S.