DULUTH, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team kept with University of Minnesota Duluth for seven innings in game two but ultimately dropped both games 1-0 and 9-1.

The Golden Eagles got out to a 1-0 lead in the first game after Victoria Bayliss (Sr., OF, West Bloomfield,  Mich.) stole home, but Minnesota Duluth scored nine runs in the second frame as they ran away with a 9-1 victory. In the second game, the Golden Eagles and Bulldogs went toe-to-toe for five innings before UMD broke through for the lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth.  

Minnesota Crookston falls to 5-25 (1-7 NSIC) with Wednesday's doubleheader loss to the Bulldogs. Minnesota Duluth improves to 27-8 (9-3 NSIC) as they sit in fourth place in the conference standings.
Game One
Minnesota Crookston scored the first run on the steal of home by Bayliss but ran into trouble in the second frame when the Golden Eagle pitching staff would be unable to get out of trouble. Minnesota Duluth scored nine runs in the frame and that would be all they needed as they won 9-1.

Paige Pitlick (So., RHP, Jordan, Minn.) picked up the loss after giving up three runs on three hits with five strikeouts and four walks. Kassidy Klaphake (Sr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) allowed two runs on two walks in 0.1 innings. Mikayla Jones (Jr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) gave up four runs on two hits and one walk.

Breanna Swint earned the win for Minnesota Duluth as she allowed just one run on one hit with nine strikeouts and two walks.

Minnesota Crookston had just two hits on the game led by Mikaela Rodriguez (So., SS/2B, Laveen, Ariz.) and Haley Strachan (Jr., OF, Phoenix, Ariz.).

Minnesota Duluth looked to Hannah Schmoll, who was 2-of-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Becky Smith was 2-f-3 with two RBIs and one run scored. Jordyn Thomas finished 1-of-2 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
Minnesota Crookston came through for the first run as Rodriguez stole second and Bayliss followed suit for the double steal as she took home to make it 1-0.

Pitlick walked the first two batters of the bottom of the second before being replaced by Klaphake. The first run of the frame crossed as Thomas scored on a wild pitch. With one out, Klaphake walked the next two before being pulled for Jones. Schmoll delivered the first hit of the inning as she plated Kalynn Tilton. Natalie Wright was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in Jayme Langbehn. A Smith single to center field added to lead as Schmoll and Lauren Greeder scored to move the lead to 5-1. Thomas put a stamp on the game with Pitlick back on to pitch as she put one over the right field fence for a grand slam to extend the advantage to 9-1.

Minnesota Crookston had two bases runners in the top of the fifth as Strachan hit an infield single and Maggie Morales (Jr., 1B/OF, Tucson, Ariz.) was hit by the pitch. Ashley Taipale struck out the final two batters for the Golden Eagles to hold the 9-1 win for Minnesota Duluth.
 
 
Game Two
Luisa Silvain and Bayliss put Minnesota Crookston in a position to win on the mound. Silvain gave up just one run on two hits in four innings of work, while Bayliss gave up no runs on one hit in two frames in her return to the mound.
Valerie Hohol got the win for Minnesota Duluth after shutting out the Golden Eagles in seven innings. Hohol allowed just four hits and posted three strikeouts and two walks.

Minnesota Crookston was paced by Bayliss and Stachan, who were both 1-of-3. Rocky Bjorge (So., 1B/3B, Prior Lake, Minn.) finished 1-of-2. Samantha Proctor (So., C/1B, Prior Lake, Minn.) went 1-of-2.
The UMD looked to Jordyn Thomas, who was 2-of-2 for the day. Wright went 1-of-3 for the second game.

The Golden Eagles opened up the game with a Bayliss bunt base hit. Minnesota Crookston put up a threat when Bjorge singled to move Bayliss over to third. However, Bjorge tried to extend the single to a double but she was thrown out at second leaving the Golden Eagles scoreless.

Minnesota Duluth opened up the bottom of the second with a double from Thomas. The Bulldogs would be unable to get a run in as Silvain retired the rest of the lineup.

Proctor started out the top of the third with a single for Minnesota Crookston. She was stranded as Hohol and Silvain continued to step up in the pitcher's duel.

UMD put up two-out threat in the fourth as Thomas doubled to left field. Silvain again came up with a big pitch as she got the fly out to get out of the frame.

Minnesota Crookston got a base-runner in the top of the sixth as Strachan singled to the pitcher. However, the Golden Eagles again came up empty in the frame as the game remained knotted up 0-0.

Minnesota Duluth finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth when Schmoll scored on a Becky Smith ground out to make it 1-0.

The Golden Eagles would be unable to answer as the Bulldogs won 1-0.

Minnesota Crookston returns to action against Concordia University-St. Paul Fri., April 13 at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the West St. Paul Dome in West St. Paul, Minn. The games were moved from Crookston, Minn., due to field conditions. The Golden Eagles will not play against Minnesota State University, Mankato as those games have been cancelled.