CROOKSTON, Minn. – A walk-off blast from pinch-hitter Hunter Baldwin (R-So., 3B, St. Thomas, N.D.) lifted the University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team to a split with Upper Iowa University Sat., April 21 at the UMC Baseball Field. The Golden Eagles were no-hit by Kolton Gonnerman through 6.1 innings but used home runs from Reed Hjelle (Jr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and Baldwin to propel the comeback 4-2 victory in the second game of the doubleheader.

Minnesota Crookston dropped the first game 14-6 as unearned runs propelled the Peacocks to the win. The Golden Eagles gave up 13 runs in the first two frames with eight of those runs were unearned as Minnesota Crookston had two errors early in the game.

The Golden Eagles improved to 17-22 (3-17 NSIC) with Saturday's split with Upper Iowa. The win was the third in conference play for Minnesota Crookston and moves the Golden Eagles to 5-3 in their last eight games. The last eight contests were played at the friendly confines of the UMC Baseball Field.

Upper Iowa moves to 11-16 (9-12 NSIC) with the split on Saturday.

Game One
The lack of command on the mound and defensive miscues helped lead Upper Iowa to a 14-6 win in the first games of the series. The Peacocks got out to a 13-2 lead after the first two innings as they scored eight unearned runs. Upper Iowa was propelled by a grand slam in the top of the first from Conner Klostermann.

Jayden Grover (So., RHP, Cooperstown, N.D.) got the start in the first game and struggled with his command. Grover allowed six earned runs with four hits and five walks with just one strikeout in 1.1 innings.

Gabriel Cavasos (Sr., RHP, San Antonio, Texas) went 4.2 innings and gave up seven unearned runs in 4.2 innings with five strikeouts and three walks.

Dalton Grose (R-Fr., LHP, Waterville, Minn.) also pitched effectively as he allowed no runs and no hits in one inning of work.

The Golden Eagles had 10 hits for the first game guided by Hjelle, who was 3-of-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Anthony Stewart (R-Sr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) went 2-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while Ethan Mushitz (Sr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) was 1-of-3 with two RBIs.

Ryan Munoz got the win for Upper Iowa as he went five innings and gave up four runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Clayton Lieb and Casey Zarr both pitched in relief. Lieb allowed just two runs on three hits, while Zarr gave up no runs on one hit in one frame.

The Peacocks looked to Callahan Seehase, who was 3-of-5 with two runs scored. Zackary Cain finished the game 2-of-3 with two runs scored, while Tony Salato was 1-of-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Upper Iowa opened up the tilt by scoring five runs off of Grover in the top of the first. The first run crossed when Salato was walked with the bases loaded to bring in Seehase. In the next at-bat, Klostermann drove one over the left field fence as his grand slam cleared the bases to score himself, Salato, Cain and Jacob Greco. Grover was able to get out of the inning as Upper Iowa stranded two runners.

Minnesota Crookston got two runs back in their half of the first. Hjelle singled to plate Stewart to cut the lead to 5-1. Wyatt Peppel (R-So., DH, Greenbush, Minn.) then delivered a single up the middle to drive in Mushitz.

The Peacocks responded with eight runs in the top of the second as errors plagued the Golden Eagles. The first run of the frame crossed as Salato hit an infield single to bring in Greco. Hans Alwin later reached on an error by Jonathan Lund (Jr., 3B, Tolna, N.D.) at third base as Cain scored to extend the advantage to 7-2. Upper Iowa moved the lead to 10-2 when Riley Braughton doubled to drive in Alwin and Salato. Cole Sciesczinski came into scored on a throwing error by Mortenson in left field. A Seehase single to left field scored Braughton to move the advantage to 11-2. The onslaught for Upper Iowa was concluded as Emmett Kulick hit a two-run home run.

Minnesota Crookston took the lead down to 13-4 in the bottom of the third as Hjelle hit his sixth home run of the season to drive in himself and Mushitz.

Upper Iowa extended their lead to 14-4 in the top of the fourth when Alwin scored on a passed ball.

The Golden Eagles were able to get two more runs back in the bottom of the sixth. Mitchell Bornhauser (Sr., OF, Northfield, Minn.) came through with a single to right center to drive in pinch-runner Griffin Fussy (R-Fr., IF, Ham Lake, Minn.). Stewart then singled through the right side to score Eli Jung (Fr., OF, Dickinson, N.D.).

Minnesota Crookston would be unable to make up the rest of the deficit as they fell 14-6.

Game Two
The Golden Eagles used Baldwin's pinch-hit walk-off home run to come from behind and win 4-2 to earn the split.

Minnesota Crookston had six hits on the game after being no-hit through 6.1 innings by the strong pitching of Kolton Gonnerman. Peppel snapped the no-hitter with one out in the seventh frame with a single.

The Golden Eagles were led by Hjelle, who was 1-of-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Hjelle has been one of the top hitters in the NSIC with a .430 batting average, 26 runs scored, 15 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 40 RBIs.

Baldwin was 1-of-1 with three RBIs. Mushitz was 1-of-4 with one run scored, as were Stewart, Peppel and Bornhauser.

Gonnerman went eight innings and gave up just one earned run on five hits with 13 strikeouts and a walk in eight innings. Tyus Adkins suffered the loss in relief after allowing two unearned runs on one hit with one strikeout in 0.2 innings.

Justin Yutrzenka (So., RHP, Argyle, Minn.) had a quality start for the Golden Eagles as he kept Minnesota Crookston in the game for six innings. Yutrzenka gave up just two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
Louis Gerzin (Jr., RHP, Ely, Minn.) had a solid effort out of the bullpen as he gave up no runs on no hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 2.1 innings.

Grose also was strong in relief as he picked up his first career win. Grose went 0.2 innings and gave up no runs and no hits.

The Peacocks picked up eight hits for the game. Klostermann led Upper Iowa by going 2-of-3 with one RBI. Salato was 1-of-3 with one run scored.

The Golden Eagles picked up their first base runner in the bottom of the first when Stewart reached on an error at second base. Hjelle would walk later in the frame. They were unable to get a run to the dish as the score stayed at 0-0.
Upper Iowa moved the lead to 1-0 in the top of the second when Klostermann singled down the right field line to plate Salato. The Peacocks left the bases juiced as Yutrzenka pitched out of the tough situation.

The Golden Eagles picked up their third base runner of the day in the bottom of the fourth when Mushitz reached on another error by Alwin at second base. Mushitz would be stranded as the score remained at 1-0.

The Peacocks extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth as Kulick scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth.

Minnesota Crookston broke through with their first hit to snap Gonnerman's no-hitter as Peppel singled to left field. Upper Iowa got out of danger as Lund grounded into a double play to keep the tally at 2-0.

The Golden Eagles added hits from Bornhauser and Stewart in the bottom of the eighth. However, Minnesota Crookston stranded the runners as the game remained at 2-0 in favor of Upper Iowa.

Hjelle set the tone in the bottom of the ninth as he led off the inning with a solo shot to cut the lead to 2-1. Mushitz then continued the inning with a single to right field. Gonnerman was then pulled in favor of Adkins. Peppel extended the frame as he reached on a miscue at short stop, moving Mushitz to second. Lund was able to move the runners on a sacrifice bunt. After the second out was secured, Minnesota Crookston sent Baldwin to the plate for the pinch-hit opportunity. The St. Thomas, N.D. native took a 2-2 pitch and rocketed it over the left field wall. The blast was apparent off the bat as long as the ball stayed fair, which it did, as Minnesota Crookston walked off with their second win in seven days. The Golden Eagles had a walk-off victory last Sunday over Bemidji State using a Bornhauser single.

Minnesota Crookston will continue the series with Upper Iowa as they play host Sun., April 22 at 12 and 2 p.m. at UMC Baseball Field in Crookston, Minn.