CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up a split with Upper Iowa University Fri., April 14 at UMC Baseball Field in Crookston, Minn.

 The Golden Eagles used 10 runs on 12 hits, along with strong pitching performances from Justin Yutrzenka (Fr., RHP, Argyle, Minn.) and Gabriel Cavasos (Jr., RHP, San Antonio, Texas) to pick up a 10-5 win in game two. In the first game, Upper Iowa used a walk-off single from Alex George to drive in Luis Ravelo in the bottom of the seventh to pick up a 3-2 comeback victory over the Golden Eagles.
 
Minnesota Crookston now sits at 16-20 (10-14 NSIC) after the Friday split. Upper Iowa sits at 14-16 (10-12 NSIC) after the split. The U of M Crookston is in 11^th place in the conference standings, while Upper Iowa is just one place ahead of the Golden Eagles in 10^th place.

Game One
Cody Pamperin (Sr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.) put up a strong start in the first game Friday. Pamperin gave up just one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts. Pamperin put the Golden Eagles in a position to win on the day.

The Golden Eagles put up a threat in the top of the second after singles from James Cullinane (Jr., OF, San Francisco, Calif.) and Zach Frazier (R-Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.). However, the Peacocks would pitch their way out of any danger.

Upper Iowa would finally break the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth as Colton Janssen singled through the left side to plate Jake Greco.

Minnesota Crookston would knot up the game 1-1 as Anthony Stewart (R-Jr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) reached on a dropped ball in center field to allow Cullinane to cross the plate. The Golden Eagles would take the lead later in the top of the seventh as Scott Mortenson (Jr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) singled through the left side to drive in Stewart.

Zach Seipel (So., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) came on for the save opportunity for the Golden Eagles. With two outs, Anthony Calton would be hit by a pitch. The Peacocks would knot up the game at 2-2 when Greco singled to drive in Calton. Seipel would then give up a walk-off single to George to drive in Ravelo as they picked up the 3-2 win.

Seipel falls to 0-3 on the season after giving up two earned runs on three hits in 0.2 innings on the mound.

Brett Fanning picked up the victory after giving up no earned runs on eight hits in seven innings with six strikeouts.

Minnesota Crookston was led in game one by Reed Hjelle (So., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.), who went 2-of-4 for the game. Cullinane finished 2-of-3 with one run scored, while Mortenson was 1-of-4 with one RBI and David Olson (Sr., C/IF, Stillwater, Minn.) was 1-of-2 for the game.

Game Two
Yutrzenka got the game two start. He would pitch effectively, giving up three earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and four walks in 4.2 innings pitched.

Minnesota Crookston opened up the scoring in the second frame when Ethan Mushitz (So., SS< east="" grand="" forks,="" minn.)="" singled="" to="" drive="" in="" hjelle.="" the="" second="" run="" of="" the="" second="" inning="" would="" come="" across="" as="" cullinane="" scored="" when="" zach="" frazier="" (r-jr.,="" c,="" grand="" rapids,="" minn.)="" grounded="" into="" a="" double="">

The Peacocks cut the lead to 2-1 in the second inning as Mitch Moser reached on a fielder's choice and drove in Zackary Cain.

Upper Iowa would knot up the game 2-2 in the third inning when Ravelo reached on an error at second base to allow Callahan Seehase to score.

Minnesota Crookston added two runs in the fourth. Stewart opened the scoring in the inning with a single up the middle to drive in Frazier. Olson came through with a clutch double down the left field line to drive in Stewart to push the advantage to 4-2.

Upper Iowa cut the lead to 4-3 in the fourth when Seehase reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Cain.

Minnesota Crookston responded with a big fifth inning. Frazier walked with the bases loaded to drive in Hjelle. Patrick Amerson (Sr., IF, Eloy, Ariz.) continued the big inning with an infield single to drive in Patrick Higgins (Sr., OF, Eagan, Minn.). Stewart built on the lead with a single up the middle to plate Mushitz to make it 7-3. Olson picked up his second RBI of the game on a fielder's choice to drive in Frazier.

The Peacocks cut into the lead in the fifth. Moser would walk with the bases loaded to drive in George. Dominic Hillesheim then singled through the left side to drive in Cain to cut the lead to 8-5.

Minnesota Crookston added a run in the sixth when Mushitz reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Hjelle.

The Golden Eagles added their 10^th run of the game in the top of the eighth when Frazier hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Cullinane.

Cavasos would come on in the fifth and would shut down the Peacocks in his 4.1 innings on the mound. He allowed no runs on two hits with just one walk and two strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched. Cavasos would earn the win in relief for his second victory of the season.

Minnesota Crookston was led by Stewart, who was 3-of-6 on the day with two RBI's and one run scored. Olson would go 2-of-4 with two RBI's, while Hjelle was 2-of-5 with three RBI's. Amerson was 2-of-3 and Mushitz was 1-of-3 with two RBI's and one run scored.

The loss for Upper Iowa went to Tyus Adkins, who gave up seven earned runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings on the mound.

Minnesota Crookston will wrap up the series with Upper Iowa Sat., April 15 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. at UMC Baseball Field.