WINONA, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team opened up their 2017 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) schedule with a pair of losses on the road to Winona State University. The Golden Eagles fell 3-0 in game one and the Warriors came back with three runs in the eighth and nine innings to win 3-2 in game two.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 6-8 (0-2 NSIC) after the two losses. Winona State improved to 2-10 (2-0 NSIC).

 In game one, Minnesota Crookston would get another strong outing on the mound from Cody Pamperin (Sr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.), who would give up just three runs on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings. However, the Golden Eagles would get just three hits all game off of Mitchell Stalsberg, who delivered a three-hit shutout for the Warriors.

In game two, Parker Hanson pitched a gem in the start, giving up no earned runs, with two unearned runs on four hits with eight strikeouts in eight innings. The Warriors would get a run on a wild pitch and a run aided by two errors at third base in the bottom of the eighth. The game-winning run would come with Aaron Hollcraft (So., LHP, Crookston, Minn.) on the mound when Mitchell Heid doubled to right center to plate Taylor Field to walk off with a 3-2 win.

Winona State opened up the scoring in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded against Pamperin, Mitchell Hommes would double down the right field line to drive in Kipp Youngquist and Andrew Pilner.

Minnesota Crookston would spread out three hits in game one with their best chance coming in the top of the fifth as Zach Frazier (R-Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) walked and Mitchell Bornhauser (Jr., OF, Northfield, Minn.) singled to lead off the inning. However, Stalsberg would get a pair of strikeouts and a ground out straight to him as they held the 2-0 lead.

The Warriors would extend their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth when Jesus Cazares doubled to right center to plate Joe Kubera. Pamperin would pitch his way out of further trouble as Winona State stranded two on base.

Stalsberg improved to 1-2 on the season for Winona State as he pitched a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts.

The Golden Eagles picked up hits from Amerson, James Cullinane (Jr., OF, San Francisco, Caluif.) and Bornhauser in the game

Minnesota Crookston would get things going quickly in the first frame when Cullinane singled up the middle to drive in Anthony Stewart (R-Jr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.). The U of M Crookston would make it 2-0 as Ethan Mushitz (Jr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) singled up the middle to drive in Cullinane.

Hanson would control the game early as he limited Winona State to just three hits over the first three innings as the Golden Eagles held on to the 2-0 advantage.

The Warriors would come back beginning in the bottom of the eighth starting with an error by Amerson to lead off the inning as Youngquist reached the base. Another error by Amerson would give Winona State two on with no out. Kubera would single to second base to drive in Youngquist for an unearned run to cut the lead to 2-1. Winona State would knot up the game 2-2 as Kubera scored on a Hanson wild pitch.

Minnesota Crookston would look to get the lead back in the top of the ninth starting with a Mushitz single. However, the Warriors got three straight outs to get out of trouble.
The Warriors would win the game in walk-off fashion as Heid doubled to right center to drive in Field as they swept the day with a 3-2 win.

The win would go to Aaron Mutter in relief for Winona State, who improves to 1-0 after going two innings and giving up no runs on one hit with two strikeouts. Hayden Krimmer would have a quality start for the Warriors, giving up just two earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts in seven innings.

Hollcraft would suffer the loss after giving up one earned run on one hit in 0.1 innings.

Minnesota Crookston would be led in game two by Mushitz, who was 2-of-4 with one RBI. Cullinane would finish game two 1-of-4 with one run scored and one RBI, while Stewart was 1-of-4 with one run scored.

The Golden Eagles finish the series on Mon. March 20 as they take on Winona State University in Winona, Minn., at 12 and 2:30 p.m.