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University of Minnesota Crookston Athletics

The Official Athletics Site of the University of Minnesota Crookston
Zach Seipel
6
Winner Minnesota Crookston UMC 4-3
5
Missouri-St. Louis UMSL 2-7
Winner
Minnesota Crookston UMC
4-3
6
Final
5
Missouri-St. Louis UMSL
2-7
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Minnesota Crookston UMC 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 6 9 0
Missouri-St. Louis UMSL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 5 14 1

W: Yutrzenka, Justin (1-0) L: Shallenberger, Bobby (0-1) S: Seipel, Zach (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Shawn Smith, Sports Information Director

Seipel Closes Out 6-5 Win Over Missouri-St. Louis After Strong Start from Yutrzenka

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team opened up the 2017 Extra Innings Youth Foundation Clearwater Invitational with a 6-5 win over University of Missouri-St. Louis. The Golden Eagles were led by an outstanding debut as a starter for freshman Justin Yutrzenka (RHP, Argyle, Minn.), who would give up just three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 7.1 innings in his first win of his career.

The game was played at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium, the former Spring Training home of the Philadelphia Phillies.The Golden Eagles move to 4-3 on the season. Missouri-St. Louis falls to 2-7 as they have had a tough start to the 2017 season. The Tritons went 29-21 last season and defeated Minnesota Crookston 20-8 in Clearwater, Fla. last season. 

The Golden Eagles would lead 6-0 going into the bottom of the eighth, however Yutrzenka and reliever Gabriel Cavasos (Jr., RHP, San Antonio, Texas) would run into some trouble in the bottom of the eighth as the Tritons scored five runs. Minnesota Crookston would be able to shut the door on Missouri-St. Louis as Zach Seipel (So., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) picked up his first save of the season. Seipel led the NSIC with 11 saves last season.

At the plate for the day, the U of M Crookston looked to two triples from James Cullinane (Jr., OF, San Francisco, Calif.), who was 3-of-4 with two RBI's and three runs scored. Reed Hjelle (So., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 3-of-5 with one run scored.

Yutrzenka would shut down the Tritons in the first seven innings of the game as he shut out UMSL on just five hits.

Minnesota Crookston would get on the board first in the third inning when Cullinane scored on an Anthony Stewart (R-Jr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) ground out.

It would remain 1-0 until the Golden Eagles would add two runs in the seventh. Mitchell Bornhauser (Jr., OF, Northfield, Minn.) would start things off with a single in the frame. He would come around to score on a Cullinane single. With the bases loaded, pinch-hitter Patrick Higgins (Sr., OF, Eagan, Minn.) would be hit by a pitch to allow Cullinane to score. The Tritons would pitch out of any further danger as they got Ethan Mushitz (Jr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) to line out to the pitcher.

The Golden Eagles would have another big inning in the top of the eighth. Hjelle opened up the frame with a double. He would come around to score on a Riley Thompson (Jr., OF, Owatonna, Minn.) sacrifice fly to right field. Cullinane would come through with a clutch triple to plate Zach Frazier (R-Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) who had been hit by a pitch. Cullinane would cross the plate on a wild pitch to extend the Minnesota Crookston lead to 6-0.

The Golden Eagles would go into the bottom of the eighth with a secure 6-0 lead. Yutrzenka would give up three singles to open the inning. It would be Nick Ulrey's single to drive in Derrick Freeman that would chase Yutrzenka after a great outing for Minnesota Crookston.

Cavasos would come on in relief and would give up a single to Tanner Hudson to plate Jake Morsch. A Cooper Vinz single would drive in Ulrey to chase Cavasos.

Seipel would look to come on to try to shut down Missouri-St. Louis as they were now down just 6-3. With the bases loaded, Cole McDonald would come through with a single to drive in Vinz and Hudson. Seipel would pitch out of any further danger with two runners still on as he got the final two batters of the eighth to fly out and strikeout.

Seipel would give up two singles in the ninth but would come through for the save with two crucial outs to preserve the 6-5 win for Minnesota Crookston. Seipel would give up no runs on four hits with one strikeout in 1.2 innings.

Bobby Shallenberger suffered the loss after giving up three earned runs on six hits with nine strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched.

The Golden Eagles will return to action against Missouri-St. Louis at 1 p.m. C.T. at Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex in Clearwater, Fla. 
 
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