CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up a split with Augustana University Sat., April 8 at UMC Baseball Field.

The Golden Eagles picked up the 10-8 win in game two after a strong outing on the mound from Parker Hanson (So., RHP, Hawley, Minn.) and key hits from the Golden Eagles including a two-run home run from Wyatt Peppel (R-Fr., OF, Greenbush, Minn.). Augustana made a late charge in game two scoring four runs in the top of the ninth. However, one of the conference's top closers Zach Seipel (So., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) was up to the task as he consistently hit 92 on the radar gun in route to his sixth save of the season.

Augustana took the first game 8-5 after five runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Golden Eagles would make a late charge with four runs led by four pinch-hit singles.

Game One
Minnesota Crookston moves to 14-16 (8-10 NSIC) with the split on Saturday. Augustana sits at 19-14 (13-5 NSIC) after the doubleheader. The Golden Eagles are in a tie for ninth place with Wayne State College. Minnesota Crookston has now reached 14 wins in three-consecutive seasons under Head Coach Steve Gust after just one win in each of the previous two seasons before Gust returned to Polk County where he was raised.

Gabriel Cavasos (Jr., RHP, San Antonio, Texas) got the game one start and put together one of his best outings of the season. He would give up four earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in six innings. Cavasos would suffer the loss on the day despite the strong start.

Augustana opened up the scoring in game one when Patrick O'Donnell tripled down the right field line to drive in Sam Baier.

The Vikings would add another run in the second when Jacob James singled to left field to plate Lucas Barry.

Minnesota Crookston would cut the deficit to 2-1 when James Cullinane (Jr., OF, San Francisco, Calif.) singled to plate Reed Hjelle (So., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.).

Augustana would get the run back in the top of the fifth when Baier doubled to left center to drive in James to extend the lead to 3-1.

The Vikings would pad their lead in the top of the seventh. They would chase Cavasos from the game as Zac Dibble led off the inning with a double. Eric Newman (R-Fr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.) would come on in relief. The first run of the inning would cross as Baier doubled to left field to drive in James. Baier would later score on a wild pitch. Newman would be chased from the game on a Tyler Field triple to right center to bring home O'Donnell to extend the lead to 7-1.

Wyatt Huso (R-Jr., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) would come on to relieve Newman. The Vikings would get one more in the inning when Ryan Menssen doubled to plate Field to make it 8-1.

The U of M Crookston would not go down without a fight. The Golden Eagles opened the frame with three-consecutive pinch-hit singles from Patrick Higgins (Sr., OF, Eagan, Minn.), Brandon Kresl (Sr., 1B, Crookston, Minn.) and Scott Mortenson (Jr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.). Higgins would come around to score as Clarke Peterson (R-Fr., C, East Grand Forks, Minn.) grounded out to third base. Kresl would score as Patrick Amerson (Sr., IF, Eloy, Ariz.) picked up the pinch-hit single to cut the lead to 8-3.

Minnesota Crookston would cut the lead to 8-4 when Mortenson scored on a wild pitch. Amerson came around to score on an Anthony Stewart (R-Jr., Oak Harbor, Wash.) sacrifice fly. Augustana reliever Austin Orvis would get out of any further trouble as he secured the final out of the game.

Lincoln Voss got the win for the Vikings after giving up five earned runs on eight hits with 10 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. Orvis would come on in relief and go 0.2 innings, giving up no runs on no hits.

Minnesota Crookston was led in game one by Hjelle, who was 2-of-3 with one run scored. Higgins, Kresl, Mortenson and Amerson all went 1-of-1 for the game.

Newman would give up three earned runs on three hits in 0.2 innings of relief for the U of M Crookston. Huso would give up just one hit and no runs in 0.1 innings of relief.

Game Two
Hanson got the ball in game two and picked up his second win of the season. He would give up just one earned run on six hits in seven innings pitched with five strikeouts.

The Vikings got on the scoreboard first with a solo home run from Ryan Menssen in the top of the second. Zac Dibble would then single to right center to plate Carter Wevik to extend the lead to 2-0.

Minnesota Crookston would knot up the game 2-2 in the third when Ethan Mushitz (Jr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) doubled to left field to drive in Peppel and Mortenson.

The Golden Eagles would take the lead 4-2 as Peppel powered one over the left field fence for one of the biggest hits of the game to give Minnesota Crookston the advantage. Peppel would drive in himself and Jason Angelo (Jr., IF, Manteca, Calif.).

The Golden Eagles would drive starter Ryan Hamilton from the game in the bottom of the sixth as David Anaya (R-Jr., IF, Tucson, Ariz.) doubled and Stewart tripled. With Jonas Lovin now on the mound, Peppel would reach on a fielder's choice, driving in Stewart. Mushitz then walked with the bases loaded to plate Hjelle to make it 6-2. Zach Frazier (R-Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) then delivered a two-out single to right center to plate Peppel and Mortenson to push the advantage to 9-2.

Stewart lifted the U of M Crookston to a 10-2 lead with a solo shot over the right field fence. The home run would be the fourth of the season for Stewart. 

The Vikings would get two runs back in the top of the eighth with Owen Ellefson (Jr., RHP, Argyle, Minn.) now on the mound for Minnesota Crookston. Kris Ashland scored on a Menssen groundout. Zach Reeg would cut the lead to 10-4 as he scored on a wild pitch.

Augustana would make one final push in the top of the ninth. Zac Carrillo (Sr., RHP, Manteca, Calif.) would start the inning on the mound for the U of M Crookston. Carrillo had yet to give up an unearned run coming into Saturday. He would give up his first as Riley Johnson doubled to plate James. O'Donnell, who was kept in check most of the game then delivered with a three-run shot to left field to chase Carrillo and cut the lead to 10-8.

Seipel would come on in the tough spot to look to preserve the U of M Crookston lead. After striking out Ashland and Reeg, he would deal a walk to Menssen. Alex Beals singled through the left side to give the Vikings two on and two out. Seipel would come away with the save as he got pinch-hitter Trent Herman to ground out to preserve the 10-8 win for the Golden Eagles

Minnesota Crookston was led by Peppel, who was 2-of-4 with three RBi's and three runs scored. Mushitz would go 2-of-3 with three RBI's, while Stewart was 2-of-4 with two RBI's and two runs scored.

Hamilton would get the loss for Augustana after giving up four earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.

Ellefson gave up two earned runs on two hits in relief. Carrillo would give up four earned runs on four hits, while Seipel gave up no runs on one hit with two strikeouts in his one inning on the mound.

Minnesota Crookston and Augustana will wrap up their weekend series Sun., April 9 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. at UMC Baseball Field.