SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell in a pair of games Thurs., March 22 to No. 11 Augustana University 5-4 and 6-0 at Karras Park Home of Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S.D. A pair of home runs ignited the Golden Eagles in game one but ultimately fell just short of the Vikings. In game two, David Flattery of the Vikings pitched a one-hitter as Augustana won 6-0. Minnesota Crookston also hurt themselves in the game with three defensive miscues.
Minnesota Crookston drops their sixth straight as they have faced a tough gauntlet of games to open the conference slate. The Golden Eagles fall to 10-11 (0-6 NSIC). Augustana moves to 16-1 (5-1 NSIC) with the doubleheader sweep.
Game One
Minnesota Crookston fell short 5-4 in game one against Augustana. The Golden Eagles used home runs from
Ethan Mushitz (Sr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and
Reed Hjelle (Jr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) but ultimately came up just one run short of the Vikings in the series opener.
Zach Rustad (Jr., LHP, Blaine, Minn.) got the ball in the first game of the series. Rustad falls to 1-3 on the season after allowing five runs on six hits in 4.2 innings with six strikeouts and just one walk.
Louis Gerzin (Jr., RHP, Ely, Minn.) pitched in well in relief for Minnesota Crookston as he shut out the Vikings in 1.1 innings of work with one strikeout.
Jacob Blank got the victory for Augustana and moves to 4-0 after giving up four runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Michael Brandt got his third save of the season after pitching 1.2 innings in relief with one strikeout.
Minnesota Crookston had four hits on the contest guided by Mushitz, who was 2-of-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Hjelle finished 1-of-3 with two RBIs and one run scored, while
Mitchell Bornhauser (Sr., OF, Northfield, Minn.) went 1-of-2 with one run scored.
Augustana was led by a pair of freshman. Ryan Nickel finished 2-of-3 with one run scored, while Jordan Barth was 1-of-3 with two RBIs and one run scored. In addition, Sam Baier was 1-of-2 with two runs scored.
Minnesota Crookston got their bats going right from the onset in the top of the first inning. Hjelle broke a scoreless streak of four games as he put one over the fence in left center, driving in himself and Mushitz. The blast put the Golden Eagles ahead 2-0.
After two scoreless frames, the Vikings finally broke through in the bottom of the third as Riley Johnson hit a home run over the left field fence to cut the lead to 2-1.
Rustad ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth. Baier was the first run to cross is the frame as he scored on a Barth fielder's choice. With two runners on and one out, Ryan Menssen then delivered a single to plate Barth to put Augustana on top 3-2. Nickel came into score later in the frame as J.T. Mix reached on a Mushitz error at short stop as the lead moved to 4-2.
The Vikings extended their lead to 5-2 as Barth singled to drive in Baier.
Minnesota Crookston put up a comeback in the top of the sixth as Mushitz knocked one over the right field fence for a two-run shot, driving in himself and Bornhauser. The second home run of the game for the Golden Eagles cut the lead to 5-4.
The Golden Eagles would be unable to make up the one run deficit in the top of the seventh as Augustana would hang on for the 5-4 victory.
Game Two
A one-hitter from Flattery and three errors defensively helped the Vikings to the 6-0 win in the second game of the double dip.
Flattery got the win for Augustana after allowing no runs on one hit with 13 strikeouts and three walks in eight innings on the bump.
Minnesota Crookston had defensive troubles in the early going of game two Thursday with two errors in the bottom of the first as the first two batters for Augustana reached on a pair of miscues in the field. The Vikings took advantage of the errors as Trent Herman hit a grand slam with two outs to plate himself, Nickel, Michael Svozil and Johnson. Augustana led the game 4-0 at the conclusion of the first frame.
Augustana added a run in the bottom of the fifth when Barth reached on a fielder's choice and Svozil came in to score to move the lead to 5-0.
Minnesota Crookston finally broke the no hitter for Flattery as Hjelle got a single in the top of the seventh.
The Vikings scored their sixth run of the game on a
Graeme Cherry (Jr., LHP, Millarville, Alberta) balk, allowing Svozil to score.
The Golden Eagles put together a scoring threat in the top of the eighth as
Scott Mortenson (Sr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and
James Cullinane (Sr., OF, San Francisco, Calif.) reached base, Mortenson on a walk and Cullinane on a hit by pitch. Flattery got out of the inning as he got
Anthony Stewart (R-Sr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) to pop out as Augustana held the 6-0 lead.
Zach Reeg came on in the ninth for the Vikings and struck out the side as the Vikings held on for the 6-0 win.
Parker Hanson (Jr., RHP, Hawley, Minn.) suffered the loss to move to 1-4 after giving up five unearned runs on just four hits with four strikeouts and three walks as the Golden Eagles struggled to play catch behind him. Cherry came on in relief and gave up ne run on three hits with a strikeout in one frame.
Gabriel Cavasos (Sr., RHP, San Antonio, Texas) pitched a scoreless inning with one hit and a strikeout.
Minnesota Crookston looked to Hjelle at the plate as he was 1-of-4 with the only hit for the Golden Eagles.
Svozil, who was 2-of-4 with three runs scored, ignited Augustana. Herman finished 1-of-4 with four RBIs and a run scored.
Minnesota Crookston finishes their four-game series with the Vikings Fri., March 23 in Sioux Falls, S.D. at 1 and 3 p.m.
