Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BEMIDJI, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston picked up a Tuesday split right down U.S. Highway 2 with Bemidji State University. The Golden Eagles were lifted by another strong outing from Jacob Butcher (R-Jr., RHP, Palmer, Alaska) in a 3-1 victory. In game two, the Golden Eagles and Beavers went head-to-head in a 13 inning bout with Bemidji State winning on a walk-off two run home run by Collin Eckman.

Minnesota Crookston moved to 15-19 (9-13 NSIC) with Wednesday's split. Bemidji State sits at 11-19 (8-10 NSIC) with the split.

Game One
Butcher got the game one start and built off his great start last week which helped him earn NSIC Pitcher of the Week. Butcher would throw five innings, giving up just one earned run on five hits with three strikeouts. He moved to 4-1 on the season with the victory.

Bemidji State took an early 1-0 lead in the first game when Kai Haake doubled through the right side to drive in Ben Boser.

The Golden Eagles put together a threat in the top of the third. David Anaya (R-Jr., IF, Tucson, Ariz.) would start things off with a single to left field, followed by an Anthony Stewart (R-Jr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) bunt single to give the U of M Crookston two on with no out. However, Jason Angelo (Jr., IF, Manteca, Calif.) would ground into a fielder's choice and Scott Mortenson (Jr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) would strike out to make it two on and two out for Minnesota Crookston. Reed Hjelle (So., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) would then be able to reach on an error at second base, allowing Stewart to come into score to even the game up at 1-1.

Ethan Mushitz (Jr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) continued the two-out rally with a single through the right side to plate Angelo putting Minnesota Crookston up 2-1.  A walk dealt to Patrick Higgins (Sr., OF, Eagan, Minn.) would load the bases up with two outs for the Golden Eagles. Connor McNallan would come up big for the Beavers with a strike out of Mitchell Bornhauser (Jr., OF, Northfield, Minn.) to keep the U of M Crookston lead at 2-1.

The Golden Eagles added a run in the top of the seventh when Scott Mortenson (Jr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) doubled to left center to drive in Stewart, making it 3-1.

The Beavers would put up a late threat in the bottom of the seventh as Collin Eckman walked and Mason Bellew singled. However, Zach Seipel (So., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) would get Minnesota Crookston out of the inning to pick up his seventh save of the year, which currently leads the conference. Seipel pitched two innings and gave up just one hit and no runs with three strikeouts.
Minnesota Crookston was led by Stewart, who was 3-of-4 for the game with two runs scored. Mushitz would go 2-of-4 with one RBI, while Mortenson was 1-of-3 with one RBI.

The loss for Bemidji State went to McNallan, who gave up just one earned run on seven hits with eight strikeouts.
 
Game Two
Jayden Grover (Fr., RHP, Cooperstown, N.D.) got the ball in game two and went 6.2 innings, giving up four earned runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings pitched. Grover would notch seven strikeouts with just one walk on the game.

Minnesota Crookston got the scoring started in the second game of the day as Zach Frazier (R-Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) singled up the middle to drive in Hjelle.

The Golden Eagles would come away with a big third inning a frame later as they extended their lead to 5-0. Mushitz started out the scoring in the inning as a single from Hjelle plated Angelo. A from Mushitz single and a misplayed ball in right field would allow Hjelle and Mortenson to come around to score. David Anaya (R-Jr., IF, Tucson, Ariz.) would reach three batters later on an error at short stop to drive in Mushitz to push the lead to 5-0.

Bemidji State cut the lead to 4-1 when Duane Miller reached on an error by Anaya at third, allowing Scott Litchy to come in for the tally.

The Golden Eagles countered with two runs in the top of the fifth off a triple from Stewart that drove in Anaya and Higgins to push the U of M Crookston lead to 7-1.

The Beavers would make the game interesting with a big seventh inning.

Gunner Olszewski would ignite the run with a solo shot to right field. A Rumpca double to left to drive in Ben Boser and a Litchy triple to center to plate Rumpca would cut the lead to 7-4. Miller would round out the scoring in the frame with a double to left center as he drove in Logan Riedel and Litchy.

The Beavers would knot the game up 7-7 as Seipel gave up a single to Ben Boser to drive in Mason Bellew. Seipel would shut down any further damage Bemidji State could do as he got Liedel to line out to Stewart to strand the bases loaded.

Neither team would be able to come away with the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as the two rivals went to extra innings.

Seipel would be replaced in the 10^th inning by Cody Pamperin (Sr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.) after giving up the game-tying run in the eighth, but shutting down the Beavers in the ninth.

Haake would lead off the bottom of the 10^th with a single and would find his way to third on a ground out and wild pitch, putting the winning run just 90 feet away. Pamperin kept the runner right there with a strikeout of Rumpca and a ground out to Riedel as the game moved into the 11^th frame.

Brandon Kresl (Sr., 1B, Crookston, Minn.) would keep up his strong record as a pinch-hitter with a lead off single in the 11^th to give the Golden Eagles the potential winning run on the base paths. James Cullinane (Jr., OF, San Francisco) would come on to run for Kresl. The Beavers would strike out Angelo and throw out Cullinane to get out of any danger.

Miller would single to try to get things started for Bemidji State with Parker Hanson (So., RHP, Hawley, Minn.) for the Golden Eagles. Hanson retired the next three batters to strand Miller on second.

Both teams would retire the side in order sending the game to the 13^th inning.

Bornhauser singled with one out in the top of the 13^th to give Minnesota Crookston a runner. Riedel would strike out Frazier and Olszewski would catch Bornhauser stealing to keep the game knotted up 7-7.

Bemidji State would get a hit from Miller with two out to give the Beavers the potential game-winning run on the base paths. That is when Eckman came up big with a walk-off two run shot over the center field fence to send the Beavers to a 9-7 extra innings victory.

Hanson would suffer the loss after giving up two earned runs on three hits in 2.2 innings of relief.

Pamperin would have a strong one inning outing with just one hit and no runs. Seipel would give up one earned run on four hits in two innings pitched, while Aaron Hollcraft (So., LHP, Crookston, Minn.) gave up one earned run on one hit in 0.1 innings on the bump.

Minnesota Crookston was led at the plate by Hjelle, who was 3-of-6 with one RBI and two runs scored. Mushitz went 2-of-6 with two RBI's and one run scored, while Stewart was 1-of-6 with two RBI's.

The win for Bemidji State went to Riedel, who pitched five innings of relief, giving up no runs on two hits with eight strikeouts.

Minnesota Crookston will return to action Fri., April 14 and Sat., April 15 at Upper Iowa University.