CLERMONT, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team dropped a pair of games Thurs., March 15 13-3 to Millersville University and 2-0 to Slippery Rock University. The games were played Thursday morning at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.
The Golden Eagles fell 13-3 to the Marauders after giving up 10 runs in the third, including a two-run home run and a three-run blast. Minnesota Crookston was also plagued by five errors as they gave up 11 unearned runs on the game. In game two, the Golden Eagles bounced back and played strong softball against The Rock but a pair of runs in the third frame were enough as Slippery Rock edged the Golden Eagles 2-0.
Minnesota Crookston falls to 4-15 on the 2018 season. They have been in several tight games this season as they have six losses by two runs or less. The Golden Eagles are currently 1-8 on their trip to the Sunshine State with three games remaining at The Spring Games-PFX Athletics. Slippery Rock is currently 12-7 on the season, while Millersville boasts a 9-6 mark.
Game 1 vs. Millersville
Luisa Silvain (Jr., RHP, Tucson, Ariz.) continued her strong pitching in the circle, but she did not get much defensive support as the Golden Eagles had five errors with her on the mound. Silvain allowed nine unearned runs on eight hits with one strikeout. She currently has a 1.91 ERA on the 2018 season after transferring from Pima Community College.
Mikayla Jones (Jr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) came on in relief and allowed two earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 2.1 innings of work.
Catherine Johnson earned the win for Millersville after allowing three runs on six hits with one strikeout. Paige Harris came on in relief and shut out the Golden Eagles in one inning with one hit, four strikeouts and two walks.
Mikaela Rodriguez (So., 2B/SS, Laveen, Ariz.) paced the Golden Eagles as she went 2-of-3 with one run scored.
Maycee Trujillo (Jr., 3B/C, Sioux Falls, S.D.) finished 2-of-2 with one RBI, while
Gabriel Antolak (Sr., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.) went 1-of-3 with one run.
The Marauders looked to Kaelyn Buskey, who was 3-of-3 with three runs scored. Allie Janowiak finished 3-of-4 with two runs scored. Faith Willenbrock was 1-of-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Raeann Buskey went 1-of-2 with four RBIs and one run scored.
Minnesota Crookston started out the game with a big bottom of the first as Antolak led the game with a double. After a walk to
Victoria Bayliss (Sr., OF, West Bloomfield, Mich.), Rodriguez delivered a single and Antolak came around to score on an error in right field. Trujillo followed it up with a single to plate Bayliss and move the advantage to 2-0. Rodriguez came around to score as
Khailyn Neumayer (Sr., OF, Morgan Hill, Calif.) grounded out to second base.
Millersville cut the lead to 3-1 as Morgan Almodovar singled to plate Kaelyn Buskey, who had reached on an error by Trujillo at third base.
The Marauders had their big inning in the top of the third. With two outs, Willenbrock reached on an error by Bayliss in right field. Maggie Murphy delivered a crucial single to plate Willenbrock to cut the lead to 3-2. Kelsey Campbell came through with a single as Ally Kerr scored on an error by
Tavia Lawson (Fr., C/OF, Hawley, Minn.). In the next at-bat, Raeann Buskey sent one over the fence for a three-run blast to score herself, Campbell and Kaelyn Buskey to move the lead to 6-3. The inning was extended further by back-to-back errors from Trujillo. With the bases loaded, Rebecca Blatt delivered a bases clearing double to drive in Almodovar, Janowiak and Devan Masciulli as Millersville moved the advantage to 9-3. Willenbrock put the final stamp on the frame as she hit a home run to score herself and Blatt and move the lead to 11-3.
The Marauders added a run in the top of the fourth when Kaelyn Buskey scored on a Raeann Buskey sacrifice fly to center field.
The final run of the game crossed in the top of the fifth as Macy Koontz doubled to drive in Janowiak and extend the advantage to 13-3, the final tally for Thursday's first game.
Game 2 vs. Slippery Rock
Kassidy Klaphake (Sr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) executed her best start of the season as she gave up just two runs on five hits with one strikeout and two walks as she put Minnesota Crookston in great position against Slippery Rock.
Camie Shumaker got the win for The Rock after pitching a complete game shutout in seven innings on just five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Rocky Bjorge (So., 1B/3B, Prior Lake, Minn.) led Minnesota Crookston at the plate as she went 2-of-3 for the game.
Jenna Boardman (Sr., SS/2B, Genoa, Wis.) finished 1-of-3, as did
Samantha Proctor (So., C/1B, Prior Lake, Minn.).
Slippery Rock looked to Kailey Myers, who was 1-of-3 with one RBI, while Lauren Hawley finished 1-of-3 with one RBI.
The Rock put together a big bottom of the third as Hawley came through with a single to drive in Emily Nagle. In the next at-bat, Myers singled to drive in Megan Brown and move the lead to 2-0.
Minnesota Crookston threatened in the top of the fourth. With one out,
Sam Rarick (Jr., IF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) was hit by a pitch. Boardman then reached on an error in center field to give the Golden Eagles two on with one out. In the next at-bat, Bjorge singled to move the runners to second and third. Neumayer then grounded in to a fielder's choice as Rarick was out at home. Proctor grounded out to the pitcher as Slippery Rock got out of the frame unscathed.
The Rock threatened to score again in the bottom of the fourth as they had bases loaded with one out. Klaphake stepped up and pitched Minnesota Crookston out of it as she got a groundout and a strikeout as the Golden Eagles continued to trail 2-0.
Minnesota Crookston was unable to come back in the remaining of the innings as Slippery Rock won 2-0.
The Golden Eagles return to action Fri., March 16 at 1 p.m. C.T. against Northwood University and 3:30 p.m. C.T. versus Salem International University. The games will be at Legends Way Ballfields located at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla.
