WINONA, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team tallied seven errors in two games as defense proved to be their downfall in a pair of losses to Winona State University. The Golden Eagles had only three hits and notched three errors in a 7-1 loss in game one to the Warriors. In the second game, Minnesota Crookston gave up five unearned runs catapulted by four errors as they fell 11-5. The tilts were played Fri., March 30 at Loughrey Field in Winona, Minn.

The Golden Eagles are still looking for their first NSIC win. Minnesota Crookston fell to 10-17 (0-12 NSIC) with Friday's victories. Minnesota Crookston has now lost 12 games dating back to a March 12 win over Pace University. The Golden Eagles started the 2018 season with a 10-5 mark. Winona State moved to 9-12 (8-6 NSIC) as they earned the series sweep.

Game One
After a scoreless three innings to open up the first game, Winona State scored three runs in the fourth to get out to the 3-0 advantage. The Warriors were aided by untimely errors for Minnesota Crookston as they had three defensive miscues on the game.

Jacob Butcher (R-Sr., RHP, Palmer, Alaska) got the game one start for Minnesota Crookston on the bump. Butcher gave up three earned runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Butcher moved to 1-1 with Friday's loss.

Esten Beneda (R-So., RHP, Lankin, N.D.) continued to show he was one of the top arms in the bullpen. Beneda gave up one unearned run on one walk with no hits in one frame. Dalton Grose (R-Fr., LHP, Waterville, Minn.) allowed two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings of work.

Aaron Mutter got the win for Winona state after allowing just one unearned run on three hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks in seven innings.

The Golden Eagles had just three hits in the first game. Reed Hjelle (Jr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 1-of-2. Jonathan Lund (Jr., IF, Tolna, N.D.) finished 1-of-3, while Anthony Stewart (R-Sr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) was 1-of-4 with one run scored.

Winona State was guided by Sam Kohnle, who was 1-of-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Tanner Williams was 1-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored, as was Chad Herbst.

The Warriors opened up the scoring in the top of the fourth when Kohnle doubled to left center to drive in Andrew Pliner. Williams continued the inning as he singled to right field to plate Kohnle and move the lead to 2-0. Herbst later reached on an error by Mushitz at short stop, allowing Williams to come to the dish for the 3-0 lead.

Minnesota Crookston cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth as Mushitz hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Stewart.

The Warriors extended their lead to 4-1 in the top of the fifth as Zac Stange reached on a fielder's choice and Logan Grunenwald came in to score.

The Golden Eagles had two runners reach on a walk and a hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth but would be unable to bring the runs home. The Warriors continued to lead 4-1.

Winona State widened their lead to 5-1 in the top of the sixth when Herbst scored on a wild pitch.

The Warriors added two security runs in the top of the seventh. The first run of the frame crossed as Kohnle scored on a wild pitch. In the next at-bat, Herbst singled to left field to plate Taylor Field and extend the lead to 7-1.
David Anaya (R-Sr., 2B, Tucson, Ariz.) reached on a fielder's choice and Ben Thoma (Fr., UT, Clearbrook, Minn.) walked in the bottom of the seventh. However, the Golden Eagles would be unable to get the runners in for runs as they fell 7-1.

Game Two
Minnesota Crookston found themselves in an early hole in game two against Winona State. The Warriors got out to an early 6-0 advantage in the first two frames as starter Gabriel Cavasos (Sr., RHP, San Antonio, Texas) was quickly chased from the game.

Cavasos suffered the loss as he fell to 2-2 after giving up six runs on six hits with two walks in 1.2 innings of work.

Minnesota Crookston struggled defensively as they gave up five unearned runs on the game, aided by four errors.

The Golden Eagles did amass 11 hits in the game as they were propelled by Stewart, who was 3-of-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Thoma finished 2-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while Lund was 2-of-5 with two RBIs. James Cullinane (Sr., OF, San Francisco, Calif) finished the game 2-of-4.

The win for Winona State went to Austin Savary, who allowed just one run on five hits in six innings with nine strikeouts and just two walks.

At the plate, the Warriors looked to Williams, who was 3-of-5 with two RBIs. Field went 2-of-5 with two RBIs, while Stange was 2-of-2 with three RBIs.

Winona State started the scoring in the top of the first as Kohnle hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Stange. The Warriors added to their lead with five runs in the second stanza. Grunenwald opened up the scoring in the second when he doubled to plate Nick Nalewanski and Herbst. Stange continued the inning with an infield single to plate Derek Martin. Field closed out the frame by hitting a single to left field to bring in Stange and Grunenwald.

The Warriors widened the gap with two runs in the fourth. Williams hit a single to right field to drive in Stange and Pliner. Herbst then singled up the middle to drive in Kohnle to move the advantage to 9-0.

Minnesota Crookston finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth when Lund singled to center field to bring Stewart to the dish and cut the deficit to 9-1.

Winona State added a run in the seventh when Pliner singled to drive in Mitchell Heid and Grunewalkd to put the Warriors up 11-1.

The Golden Eagles got runs back in the seventh frame. Thoma doubled to center to plate Mushitz. Stewart then hit his fourth home run of the season to drive in himself and Thoma and slice the lead down to 11-4.

Minnesota Crookston got one more run back in the ninth as Lund reached on an error at short stop to allow Stewart to score and cut the lead 11-5. The Golden Eagles would be unable to make up any more ground as Winona State took the 11-5 win for the series sweep.

The Golden Eagles used five pitchers in relief in the second game. Zach Seipel (Jr., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) went 2.1 innings and gave up three unearned runs on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Aaron Hollcraft (Jr., LHP, Crookston, Minn.) came in and shut down the Warriors with just two hits and one strikeout in two frames. Louis Gerzin (Jr., RHP, Ely, Minn.) allowed two unearned runs on one hit with one strikeout in one stanza. Beneda continued his strong pitching as he gave up no runs on one hit with two strikeouts in one frame. Grose rounded out the game by going one inning and allowing no runs on no hits.

Minnesota Crookston is slated to return to action April 4 at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. against University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D.