BEMIDJI, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team would have two games go down to the wire Saturday against Northern State University at BSU Softball Field in Bemidji, Minn. The Golden Eagles would give up four runs in extra innings in game one as they fell 9-5 to Northern State. In game two, the two NSIC foes would be knotted up 5-5 at the end of seven when darkness forced the game to be called as a tie.

Minnesota Crookston now sits at 10-15-1 (0-3-1) after Saturday's doubleheader that was relocated to Bemidji. The Golden Eagles are just one win away from tying their win total from 2016. They are just two wins away from tying the school record of 12 wins set in 2004. Northern State now sits at 18-9-1 (3-0-1) after Saturday.

Bailey Braatz (Sr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.) would put together a solid outing as she put Minnesota Crookston in a position to possibly win the game. Braatz would give up four earned runs on 11 hits in six innings pitched.

Northern State opened up the scoring when Katie Dawson singled to drive in Jenna Helgeson in the first inning to make it 1-0.

The Wolves extended their lead to 2-0 as Braatz walked Helgeson with the bases loaded to bring in Lauren Kunz.

The Golden Eagles would cut the lead to 2-1 when Samantha LeMay (Sr., DP, Belle Plaine, Minn.) singled to plate Rocky Bjorge (Fr., 1B, Prior Lake, Minn.).
Northern State would be able to push the lead to 3-1 in the sixth when Shayla Steinley singled to drive in Kunz.

They added two more in the seventh. Jamie Fisher would single and then Anne Jonas would come in to score on an error in left field. Kunz would then single to plate Mackenzie Thielen to make it 5-1.

Minnesota Crookston would rally with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. Victoria Bayliss (Jr., OF, West Bloomfield, Mich.) opened up the scoring with a single to drive in Samantha Proctor (Fr., C, Champlin, Minn.). Bjorge would then hit a two RBI double to drive in Jozie Garner (Sr., OF, Eureka, Kan.) and Hailey Fitzpatrick (Fr., 2B/SS, Becker, Minn.). The tying run would cross as Maggie Morales (So., OF/1B, Tucson, Ariz.) reached on an error by first base, allowing Bayliss to score.

Northern State would come up with the big eighth inning to pick up the win. With reliever Heather Cunningham (Jr., RHP, Jacksonville, Fla.) in the circle, the Wolves would score four runs. Dawson started it off with a single to plate Helgeson and Steinley. Kennedy Thompson would continue the scoring with a double to plate Kaitlyn King. The final run would cross as Fisher reached on an error by Jenna Boardman (Jr., 2B/SS, Genoa, Wis.) at second, allowing Thompson to score.

Minnesota Crookston would be unable to answer in the bottom of the eighth as Northern State picked up the win.

Cunningham would suffer the loss after giving up three earned runs on four hits in two innings pitched.

Missy Elkins earned the win for Northern State in relief as she went 1.2 innings, giving up no runs on no hits.

Minnesota Crookston was led in the first game by Bjorge, who was 1-of-2 with two RBI's and one run scored. Maycee Trujillo (So., 3B/C, Sioux Falls, S.D.) would go 2-of-3, while Bayliss was 1-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored.

In game two, Paige Pitlick (Fr., RHP, Jordan, Minn.) would get the start and give up five earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.

Kassidy Klaphake (Jr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) had a strong outing in relief as she gave up no runs on no hits in 2.2 innings pitched.

Elkins would go seven innings for the Wolves, giving up five earned runs on 11 hits in seven innings with six strikeouts.

Northern State opened the scoring in game two with a single from Thompson to drive in Helgeson in the first.

The Wolves added one in the second when Katelynn Dilts singled to drive in Madison Rutter.

Northern State pushed the lead to 3-0 when Kunz doubled to plate Rutter.

The Wolves would add two more runs to push their advantage to 5-0 in the fifth. Helgeson would cross the plate on a wild pitch, followed by a sacrifice fly from Rachel Albright to drive in Thompson.

Minnesota Crookston would again rally beginning with a two-run home run from Trujillo in the sixth to drive in herself and Morales to cut the lead to 5-2.
Trujillo came up big again in the seventh with a single to plate Proctor and Bjorge to pull within 5-4. Khailyn Neumayer (Jr., OF, Morgan Hill, Calif.) would come up with game tying hit to plate pKate Howell (Jr., OF, Badger, Minn.).

The game would then end in a tie as the game was called due to the lack of any natural lights and the fact that BSU Softball Field does not have lights on the field.
Minnesota Crookston would be led by Trujillo in game two, as she went 3-of-4 with four RBI's and one run scored. Proctor would go 1-of-3 with one run scored. Neumayer was 3-of-4 with one RBI.

The Golden Eagles will head to Minnesota State University Moorhead for games at 1 and 3 p.m. in Moorhead, Minn.