CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team will host their first four home games of the 2018 season Thurs., April 12 and Sun., April 15 at UMC Baseball Field in Crookston, Minn. The Golden Eagles are one of the first teams in the area to get on a baseball field with the scheduled games against Bemidji State University.
Thursday's games were originally slated for Wednesday but were moved to allow for field conditions to improve at the UMC Baseball Field. Thursday's doubleheader will be a seven-inning game at 1:30 p.m. and a nine-inning game at 3:30 p.m. The games Sunday were recently added to the schedule due to cancellations around the NSIC due to weather and field conditions. Sunday's doubleheader will consist of two seven-inning games commencing at 2 and 4 p.m.
Minnesota Crookston will also play junior varsity games this weekend. The Golden Eagles will host Northland Community Technical College Sat., April 14 at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Mon., April 16 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The Golden Eagles enter the week with a 12-19 (2-14 NSIC) mark. Minnesota Crookston has gone 2-2 in their last four games as they are looking to get on the winning track after opening conference play with a 0-12 mark. Thursday's games will mark the first at home for the Golden Eagles as they have played all around the country over the last two months including games in Hawai'i, Florida and Southern Kansas.
Bemidji State comes into Thursday with a 4-18 (2-8 NSIC) mark. The Beavers have not played a game since March 30 when they played at Augustana University.
Minnesota Crookston vs. Bemidji State
Thurs., April 11 – 1:30/3:30 p.m. – UMC Baseball Field – Crookston, Minn.
Sun., April 15 – 2/4 p.m. – UMC Baseball Field – Crookston, Minn.
Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/baseball/
Radio (First Game) – 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM (Leo Blavin, Play by Play)
Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starting Line-Up
R-Sr. CF 1
Anthony Stewart, .354, 33 runs, 8 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 24 RBIs
Fr. RF/2B 29
Ben Thoma, .231, 8 runs, 2 2B, 15 RBIs
Sr. SS 27
Ethan Mushitz, .284, 19 runs, 5 2B 2 3B, 5 HR, 19 RBIs
Jr. 1B 33
Reed Hjelle, .381, 17 runs, 12 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 30 RBIs
Sr. RF 8
Scott Mortenson, .300, 10 runs, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs
Jr. 3B 16
Jonathan Lund, .275, 13 runs, 2 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBIs
R-Sr. C 7
Zach Frazier, .173, 12 runs, 1 2B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs
R-So. DH 12
Wyatt Peppel, .280, 5 runs, 3 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBIs
Sr. LF 5
James Cullinane, .214 12 runs, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBIs
or R-Sr. 2B 6
David Anaya, .232, 10 runs, 2 2B, 6 RBIs
Top Pitchers
Jr. LHP 34
Graeme Cherry, 1-0 3.07 ERA, 14.2 IP, 11 K, 2 BB
Jr. RHP 21
Zach Seipel, 1-1 3.48 ERA, 20.2 IP, 34 K, 15 BB
So. RHP 35
Jayden Grover, 1-5 3.89 ERA, 41.2 IP, 29 K, 12 BB
Jr. LHP 24
Zach Rustad, 1-5 6.49 ERA, 34.2 IP, 39 K, 20 BB
So. RHP 18
Justin Yutrzenka, 1-2 7.20 ERA, 30.0 IP, 28 K, 17 BB
Minnesota Crookston is hitting .272 on the season coming into Thursday. The Golden Eagles have 154 runs, 44 doubles, 11 triples, 17 home runs and 137 RBIs on the season. Minnesota Crookston has been led by
Reed Hjelle (Jr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.), who is hitting .381 with 17 runs, 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 30 RBIs.
Anthony Stewart (R-Sr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) is batting .354 on the season with 33 runs, eight doubles, six triples, four home runs and 24 RBIs.
Scott Mortenson (Sr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) enters the week batting .300 with 10 runs, two doubles, one home run and three RBIs.
On the bump, the Golden Eagles have looked to their bullpen to pace the team.
Zach Seipel (Jr., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) is 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 20.2 innings pitched with five saves, 34 strikeouts and 15 walks.
Graeme Cherry (Jr., LHP, Millarville, Alberta) comes in with a 1-0 record and a 3.07 ERA in 14.2 innings pitched.
Jayden Grover (So., RHP, Cooperstown, N.D.) has pitched well as a starter as he is 2-2 with a 5.52 ERA in 29.1 innings pitched with 29 strikeouts and 12 walks.
Bemidji State
Projected Line-up
Jr. CF 3 Josiah Julagay .179, 7 runs, 3 RBIs
Fr. 3B 44 Caleb Carlson, .245, 6 runs, 3 2B, 2 RBIs
Sr. SS 11 Scott Litchy, .338, 11 runs, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs
So. C/DH 8 Isaiah Grancorvitz, .241, 7 runs, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs
So. LF 1 Noah Boser, .208, 2 runs, 4 2B, 5 RBIs
or Sr. LF 4 Connor McNallan, .220, 3 runs, 5 RBIs
Fr. DH/1B 14 Parker Borg, .195, 4 runs, 2 2B, 1 HR
R-So. 2B 10 Drake Wawro, .258, 8 runs, 2 2B, 4 RBIs
Sr. 1B/DH 26 Bazil Zuehlke, .147, 4 runs, 1 2B, 2 RBIs
or R-Fr. C 5 Caleb Manecke, .118, 1 RBI
Fr. RF 25 Bryce Norby, .159, 5 runs, 3 2B, 6 RBIs
Top Pitchers
So. RHP 30 Jake Olson 1-2 2.70 ERA 20.0 IP, 9 K, 4 BB
Sr. RHP 4 Connor McNallan, 1-4 6.33 ERA 27.0 IP, 19 K, 13 BB
Fr. LHP 28 Travis Carruth, 1-3 5.96 ERA, 22.2 IP, 10 K, 9 BB
Jr. RHP 19 Jesse Palafox, 0-0 2.38 ERA, 11.1 IP, 2 saves, 11 K, 4 BB
Jr. LHP 2 Tommy Geisenhof, 0-1 4.66 ERA, 9.2 IP, 1 save, 3 K, 2 BB
Bemidji State is hitting just .212 on the season with 68 runs scored, 25 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 62 RBIs. Scott Litchy has anchored the line-up with his .338 batting average with 11 runs, six doubles, one home run and 10 RBIs. In addition, Drake Wawro is batting .258 with eight runs and four RBIs.
The top arm for the Beavers has been Jake Olson with a 1-2 mark and a 2.70 ERA in 20.0 innings pitched. In addition, Travis Carruth is 1-3 with a 5.96 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched. Jesse Palafox has been crucial out of the bullpen with a 2.38 ERA and two saves in 11.1 innings of work.
