TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team's bats were on fire in game one Tues., March 14 as the Golden Eagles picked up a split on day three at the Tucson Invitational at Lincoln Regional Park in Tucson, Ariz.

In game one against Huntington University, Minnesota Crookston used 17 runs on 14 hits including a 3-for-3 game from Hailey Fitzpatrick (Fr., IF, Becker, Minn.) to upend the Foresters. In addition, Bailey Braatz (Sr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.) picked up her fifth win of the season after going 5.0 innings and giving up just one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

In game two, the Golden Eagles would get out to a 6-0 lead and a have strong performance from Kassidy Klaphake (Jr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) on the mound. She would give up two earned runs on four hits with one strikeout. However, Minnesota Crookston ran into trouble as Purdue University Northwest scored nine runs in fifth inning led by poor defense from the Golden Eagles. Minnesota Crookston would have four errors in the inning as seven of the nine runs scored in the frame were unearned.

The Golden Eagles moved to 7-10 with the split. The Foresters fell to 3-3 on the season, while the Pride improved to 8-5 on the year.

In game one of the day against Huntington, Minnesota Crookston would get going in the first inning with an infield single from Maggie Morales (So., OF/1B, Tucson, Ariz.) to drive in Fitzpatrick. Later in the inning, Gabriel Antolak (Jr., 3B/C, Zimmerman, Minn.) grounded out to second, but drove in Morales to make it 2-0.

The U of M Crookston would add four runs in the second inning. Fitzpatrick would continue to build on a strong day as she hit a single to left field to plate Khailyn Neumayer (Jr., OF, Morgan Hill, Calif.). Jozie Garner (Sr., OF, Eureka, Kan.) would then cross on a wild pitch on a called third strike. The scoring would continue when Antolak rocketed a ground-rule double to plate Fitzpatrick and Victoria Bayliss (Jr., OF/2B, West Bloomfield, Mich.).

Minnesota Crookston would extend their lead to 13-0 with a seven-run third inning. Fitzpatrick continued to dominate the day offensively as she tripled to right field to clear the bases, scoring Garner, Sam Rarick (So., UT, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and Neumayer. Morales would then single through the left side to drive home Fitzpatrick. Antolak would continue the scoring barrage as she singled up the middle to bring home Bayliss. Lexie Santoyo (So., OF, Kansas City, Mo.) would out the inning with a double to drive in Antolak and Morales.

In the fourth inning, Paige Pitlick (Fr., RHP/1B, Jordan, Minn.) got her first collegiate hit in a big way as she blasted one over the left field fence to drive in herself and Jenna Boardman (Jr., IF, Genoa, Wis.).

The Foresters would get their first and only run of the game as Marty Harris douled to right center to drive in Lairen Miller.

Minnesota Crookston would pad their lead in the fifth as Rarick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in Morgan Duda (So., OF, Clinton Township, Mich.). Maycee Trujillo (So., 3B/C, Sioux Falls, S.D.) would score the final run of the game on a wild pitch to make it 17-1.

The Golden Eagles looked to Fitzpatrick, who was 3-of-3 with four RBI's and three runs scored. Morales would go 2-of-3 with two RBI's and two runs scored. Antolak would hit 2-of-3 with four RBI's and one run scored, while Santoyo was 2-of-2 with two RBI's.

The loss for Huntington went to Camille Furrow, who gave up 13 runs, just four of them earned, on 11 hits

Minnesota Crookston would dominate early on against Purdue Northwest. Klaphake would give up just two hits in the first four innings.

The Golden Eagles would also get on the board first as Samantha Proctor (Fr., C, Champlin, Minn.) singled up the middle to drive home Fitzpatrick, who had doubled.

The U of M Crookston extend their lead to 2-0 when Boardman came across on an error by the left fielder after a Garner single was misplayed.

The Golden Eagles would look to pad their lead with a four-run top of the fourth. Rocky Bjorge (Fr., 1B, Prior Lake, Minn.) started out the scoring with a single up the middle to drive in Bayliss and Garner. Samantha LeMay (Sr., 1B/DP, Belle Plaine, Minn.) would alter hit a single to left field to plate Proctor. Morales continued things with a single to third base to drive home Bjorge.

Minnesota Crookston would lead 6-0 at the end of the frame, looking secure in their lead.

However, Minnesota Crookston ran into problems in the bottom of the fifth. The inning would open up with singles from H Loden and Olivia Sardella. The singles would be followed by the first error of the inning as Bayliss and Boardman collided in shallow right going for the same ball loading the bases.

Heather Cunningham (Jr., RHP, Jacksonville, Fla.) would come on looking to get Minnesota Crookston out of the jam. With the bases loaded, she would walk K Payne, allowing Loden to cross the plate. Cunningham would get the first out of the inning as H Pagan hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Sardella. T Steffens then continued the scoring with a single up the middle to drive home T Kotzo to make it 6-3.

The Pride would add six more runs in the inning aided by three more errors as they flipped the game, going up 9-6.

Purdue Northwest would add three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. S Oppenhuis would double down the left field line to plate Pagan. Steffens would cross the plate later in the frame on a H Lopez groundout. Loden would finish up the scoring for the day as she singled to left field to plate Oppenhuis.

Minnesota Crookston would be led by Fitzpatrick, who was 2-of-4 with one run scored. LeMay would go 2-of-4 with one RBI, while Bjorge was 1-of-3 with two RBI's and one run scored and Garner was 2-of3 with one run scored.

Cunningham would get the loss after going two innings and giving up nine runs, three of them earned on six hits. She would be plagued by the defense behind her.

Minnesota Crookston will have a day off on Wednesday before returning to action Thurs., March 16. The Golden Eagles will take on Robert Morris University (Ill.) at 5:30 p.m. C.T. and Valley City State University at 8 p.m. C.T.