ABERDEEN, S.D. – Errors plagued the University of Minnesota Crookston softball program in their season openers Sat., Feb. 10 at the Presentation College Dome in Aberdeen, S.D. The Golden Eagles had 10 errors in the two games as they defensive struggles led University of Jamestown to a 6-5 extra-innings win and Presentation College to a 4-1 victory.

Minnesota Crookston opens the season with a 0-2 mark. Jamestown, a NAIA National Tournament participant in 2017, started the season out 2-0. Presentation is 1-1 on the 2018 season.

Luisa Silvain (Jr., RHP, Tucson, Ariz.) got her first start in the Maroon and Gold as she got the ball in game one for the Golden Eagles. Silvain had a strong outing going 3.2 innings and giving up just two earned runs on eight hits.

Kassidy Klaphake (Sr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) would be saddled with the loss despite a strong overall performance as she gave up just one earned run on six hits in 3.2 innings pitched.

Minnesota Crookston looked to Taylor Allen (Fr., C/OF, Neepawa, Manitoba), who was 3-of-4 with one run scored. Jenna Boardman (Sr., IF, Genoa, Wis.) was 3-of-4 with one run scored and one RBI. Haley Strachan (Jr., OF, Phoenix, Ariz.) finished 2-of-5 with one RBI.

Jamestown used four pitchers on the day. Emma Keller got the start for the Jimmies. She gave up two earned runs on six hits in three innings. Ann-Marie Crandlemire got the win as she shut down the Golden Eagles in 2.1 innings, giving up no runs on four hits with two strikeouts.

Jamestown was guided at the plate by Mikayla Frost, who was 2-of-4 with two runs scored. Keller was 2-of-5 with one RBI and two runs scored. Tifani Schorzman finished 2-of-3 with two RBIs.

Minnesota Crookston looked to start off strong as Strachan opened the game with a triple. She would be thrown out at home on a Victoria Bayliss (Sr., OF, West Bloomfield, Mich.) ground out.
The Jimmies got on the board in the bottom of the first when Schorzman singled in Frost to make it 1-0.

Jamestown extended their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third when Schorzman came through again with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Frost.

Minnesota Crookston got going with a big top of the fourth. After a Bayliss single, Gabriel Antolak (Sr., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.) came through with a double to bring home her fellow senior to knot it up 1-1. Back-to-back singles from Allen and Maggie Morales (Jr., 1B/OF, Tucson, Ariz.) loaded the bases for the Golden Eagles. Sam Rarick (Jr., IF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) responded in the clutch with a single to drive in Antolak as Minnesota Crookston knotted the game up 2-2. Jamestown got out of any further struggles as they got the final two outs of the frame.

The Jimmies came right back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. A Keller single followed by an error allowed Meghan Ramage to score. Kassi Ward then came through with a single to drive in Keller to put Jamestown ahead 4-2.

The Jimmies extended their lead to 5-2 when an error by Antolak at catcher allowed Emma Gilbert to score following a wild pitch.

Minnesota Crookston came through in the clutch with a big sixth inning. Allen started things off with a crucial triple as the freshman continued a big game. A Mikaela Rodriguez (So., IF, Laveen, Ariz.) sacrifice fly plated Allen. Boardman tripled later in the inning to bring home Rocky Bjorge (So., 1B, Prior Lake, Minn.). A Strachan single would bring Boardman around the bases as the Golden Eagles knotted the game up 5-5.

Minnesota Crookston would have a chance to end the game in the top of the seventh with bases loaded but Jamestown would strike Bjorge out to keep the game at 5-5. After Jamestown didn't score, the game moved to extra innings.

The Jimmies came away with the walk-off win when Ward singled to bring in Keller to give Jamestown the 6-5 win.

Mikayla Jones (Jr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) got the start in the circle in game two. Jones would pitch well in game two but would suffer the loss. Jones went 4.2 innings as she gave up just one earned run on four hits with one strikeout.

Minnesota Crookston was limited to just four hits in the game led by Bjorge, who went 2-of-3 with one RBI. Rarick finished 1-of-3, while Rodriguez was 1-of-2.

Ashlyn O'Keefe got the win for the Saints after pitching a full game. She gave up one run on four hits with three strikeouts.

Presentation was led by Darrian Gibson, who went 2-of-3 with one RBI. Shanice Webb finished 1-of-3 with two RBIs, while Krystie Schweers went 1-of-3 with two RBIs.

After a scoreless two-and-a-half innings, Presentation broke the scoreless game when Cortni Mendoza tripled to plate Schweets to make it 1-0.

Minnesota Crookston came back in the top of the fourth as Bjorge singled to drive in Boardman to knot it up 1-1.

The Golden Eagles gave up a big bottom of the fifth to Presentation. Webb singled to plate Schweers and Bibiana Villeda as the Saints went up 3-1. Heather Cunningham (Sr., RHP, Jacksonville, Fla.) got Minnesota Crookston out of any further trouble in the frame.

Presentation moved their lead to 4-1 when Gibson singled and then Lenessa Nelson scored on an error in center field.

Minnesota Crookston will wrap up the Presentation College Dome Tournament Sun., Feb. 11 against Northern State University at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. versus Valley City State University.