WEST ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team picked up a split Mon., Feb. 27 at the West St. Paul Dome in West St. Paul Dome.

The Golden Eagles picked up an 8-5 win in the first game of the day over Minnesota State University Moorhead. Minnesota Crookston was led by a three-run double from Hailey Fitzpatrick (Fr., 2B, Becker, Minn.) and a two-run double from Rocky Bjorge (Fr., 1B, Prior Lake, Minn.). Bjorge would lead the team by going 3-of-5 with two runs scored and two RBI's. Bailey Braatz (Sr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.) would get the win after going five innings and giving up four earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.

"We played well today," said Head Coach Don Stopa. "We kept our mistakes to a minimum and we had some great at-bats in game on against MSU Moorhead. A couple of defensive miscues led to some of the MSU Moorhead runs but we never felt threatened. Our pitchers did a good job keeping them off balance, and our hitters stuck to our plan and it paid off."

In game two, UMC would fall 6-1 to Bemidji State University. Kassidy Klaphake (Jr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) would give up four earned runs on 11 hits in 4.1 innings.

"Our game is all about adjustments and we didn't do a very good job adjusting in game two," Stopa said. "Yost is one of the top arms in the conference and we have to have better at-bats against her. We swung at a lot of bad pitches against a good pitcher and that is hard to overcome. Kassidy had a good outing overall in the loss and Heather threw well out of the pen."


Minnesota Crookston moved to 4-6 on the season with the split. They are 2-1 against MSU Moorhead this season and 0-1 versus Bemidji State.

Braatz would get her third win of the season in the game against MSU Moorhead. Mikayla Jones (So., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) came on and pitched well in relief, shutting down the Dragons in her two innings with one strikeout and one hit allowed.

Minnesota Crookston would open up the scoring as Fitzpatrick came up with a clutch double in the second to clear the bases, driving in Jenna Boardman (Jr., SS, Genoa, Wis.), Khailyn Neumayer (Jr., OF, Morgan Park, Calif.) and Maycee Trujillo (So., 3B/C, Sioux Falls, S.D.).

MSU Moorhead would close the deficit to 3-1 as Emma Dummer scored on a Savannah Tweet groundout.

UMC would extend their lead to 4-1 in the third inning as Fitzpatrick walked with the bases loaded, allowing Bjorge to score. Minnesota Crookston would have the opportunity to get more bases runners across but would strand three runners.

Minnesota Crookston added two more runs in the fourth when Boardman singled to drive in Bjorge and Maggie Morales (So., OF/1B, Tucson, Ariz.).

MSU Moorhead came up with a big fourth inning. Dummer started out the scoring with a single to drive in KyLee Bartholomay. Tweet then doubled to plate Dummer. Aunica Novacek would round out the scoring on a single to drive in Tweet to cut the lead to 6-4.

Minnesota Crookston would pad their lead in the fifth as Bjorge came up with a crucial double to drive in Morales and Gabriel Antolak (Jr., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.).

MSU Moorhead would be able to cut the deficit to 8-5 with a double from Madison Paige doubled to drive in Taylor Roddie.

In addition to Bjorge, Trujillo was 2-of-4, while Victoria Bayliss (Jr., OF/2B, West Bloomfield, Mich.) was 3-of-5 and Fitzpatrick was 1-of-3 with four RBI's.

The loss for MSU Moorhead went to Jordan Hall, who gave up four earned runs on six hits in three innings pitched.

In game two, Klaphake would move to 1.2 with the loss. Heather Cunningham (Jr., RHP, Jacksonville Fla,.) would pitch well in relief, going 1.2 innings and giving up just one earned run on one hit.

Bemidji State started out the scoring in the first inning when Jessica Yost doubled to plate Alexandra Ripka.

The Beavers would add to their lead when Courtney O'Connor hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Alayna Krejci. BSU continued a strong second inning with an RBI single from Ripka to plate Makayla Pagel.

The Beavers extended their lead to 4-0 in the fourth as Jessica Burlingame singled to drive in Angie Roberts. They would add runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Olivia Tucker singled to plate Pagel and then Yost hit a solo home run.

UMC would get their only run in the seventh inning as designated hitter Morgan Duda (So., OF, Clinton Township, Mich.) singled to drive in Lexie Santoyo (So., OF, Kansas City, Mo.).

Yost got the win for the Beavers after throwing a complete game and giving up just one earned run on three hits with 16 strikeouts.

Minnesota Crookston struggled to his Yost. Jozie Garner (Sr., OF, Eureka, Kan.) went 1-of-3. Morales was 1-of-3, while Duda also went 1-of-3.

UMC will continue play in West St. Paul, Minn. Tues., Feb. 28. Minnesota Crookston will take on Anoka-Ramsey Community College in an exhibition at 9 a.m. They will then take on MSU Moorhead for the fourth time this season at 11 a.m.