MARSHALL, Minn. – Parker Hanson (So., RHP, Hawley, Minn.) had a strong start and Zach Seipel (So., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) shut the door in the ninth inning as the University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up the Saturday split with Southwest Minnesota State University. The 6-3 victory in game two for the Golden Eagles led Minnesota Crookston to their second-consecutive NSIC Tournament berth.

The U of M Crookston dropped game one 4-2 after Derek Branson and Jayden Fleck picked up RBI's in the fifth inning to break the tie and lead the Mustangs to the win.

Minnesota Crookston moves to 24-26 (18-20 NSIC) with the split. They end the regular-season just one win shy of their school-record 25 wins set during the 2016 season. The Golden Eagles clinched their second-straight NSIC Tournament after not appearing in the playoffs since 2001, previously.

The Golden Eagles were aided by St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth, who held off Bemidji State University and Northern State University. The Beavers and Wolves fell just short of catching Minnesota Crookston in the standings.

Southwest Minnesota State finishes the season with a 15-33 (10-28 NSIC) record.

Game One
Cody Pamperin (Sr., RHP, Shakopee, Minn.) got the ball for Minnesota Crookston in game one. The senior pitched well but fell short in the loss. Pamperin gave up four earned runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts in six innings. Pamperin tied Ryan Paasch's school-record 73 appearances in a career. Pamperin already holds the school record for Earned Runs Average (ERA) in a career and career strikeouts.

Southwest Minnesota State opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first when Ben Heichel hit an infield single to plate Cole VanderBeek. Branson tried to score on the same play, but would be thrown out at home. The Mustangs added a run in the next at-bat when Fleck singled down the left field line to drive in Shane Sellner.

Minnesota Crookston cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the second as David Olson (Sr., C/3B, Stillwater, Minn.) scored on a Mitchell Bornhauser (Jr., OF, Northfield, Minn.) ground out.

The Golden Eagles evened the slate in the top of the fourth as Olson crossed the plate on a Bornhauser sacrifice fly to center field.

The Mustangs took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. A Branson double to right center opened the scoring in the frame, driving in Tanner Strommen. Fleck extended the led to 4-2 on a double to center field to plate Branson. Southwest Minnesota State would hang on to win by that tally.

Cole Peterson got the win on the bump for Southwest Minnesota State after giving up just two earned runs on six hits in six innings with two strikeouts. Shawn Williams shut down the Golden Eagles in the seventh, giving up no hits and no runs in one inning to earn his fifth save of the season.

The U of M Crookston was led in the first game of the day by Olson, who went 2-of-3 with two runs scored. Bornhauser had two RBI's, while James Cullinane (Jr., OF, San Francisco, Calif.) was 1-of-2 on the day.

Game Two
Parker Hanson (So., RHP, Hawley, Minn.) had a strong start on the mound for the U of M Crookston, giving up just two runs on six hits in six innings with five strikeouts. The first-year Golden Eagle moved to 4-3 with the win for Minnesota Crookston.

The Golden Eagles started the game with a 1-0 lead in the first as Reed Hjelle (So., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) had a base knock to center to drive in Anthony Stewart (R-Jr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.).

Minnesota Crookston moved the lead to 4-0 in the second led by a two RBI single from Stewart to bring in Cullinane and Olson. Patrick Amerson (Jr., IF, Eloy, Ariz.) continued the scoring with a single through the right side to bring in Frazier.

The Mustangs cut the lead to 4-1 in the second as Tanner Luebke doubled to center field to drive in Heichel.

The Golden Eagles responded in the third with a run to extend the lead to 5-1. Olson singled to right center to bring Ethan Mushitz (Jr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) to score.

Southwest Minnesota State cut the lead to 5-2 in the third when Heichel used a base knock to bring in Strommen.

Minnesota Crookston added run security in the seventh with a Mushitz single to plate Jason Angelo (Jr., IF, Manteca, Calif.) to put the Golden Eagles up 6-2.

The Mustangs put up a threat in the bottom of the eighth. Kody Larson opened up the inning with an infield single. Seipel would get two outs, but then would give up a single to Branson and a walk to Sellner to load the bases. Heichel then reached on an error by Seipel, to allow Larson to score. However, Seipel got out of danger as he got Josh Cook to pop out to keep the lead at 6-3.

Seipel shut down the Mustangs in the bottom of the ninth, allowing just one batter to reach on a walk. Seipel picked up his league-leading 12^th save as the Golden Eagles picked up the win. Seipel shattered his school-record 11 saves as a freshman, moving to 23 saves in his career.

Davis Bryan suffered the loss for the Mustangs, giving up four earned runs on five hits in two innings. Jeremy Stouffer gave up two earned runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings. James Hardy gave up no runs on one hit in 2.2 innings.

Minnesota Crookston was led at the plate by Stewart, who went 3-of-5 with two RBI's and one runs scored. Hjelle was 2-of-5 with one RBI, while Mushitz was 3-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored and Cullinane was 2-of-4 with one run scored.

The Golden Eagles will continue their season at the 2017 NSIC Baseball Tournament in St. Cloud, Minn. Minnesota Crookston opens up play Wed., May 10 at 12 p.m. They will be the No. 8 seed and will take on No. 1 seed Minnesota State University-Mankato at Joe Faber Field. The Mavericks are currently ranked No. 14 in the nation. The tournament is a double elimination format. The winner of the game will play Thurs., May 11 at 3:30 p.m. against the winner of Wayne State College (Neb.) and Minot State University. The loser of the first game will play the loser of Wayne State and Minot State Thurs., May 11 at 12 p.m. at Faber Field.