WAYNE, Neb. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team lost a pair to Wayne State College (Neb.) Sun., April 22 at the Pete Chapman Complex in Wayne, Neb. The Golden Eagles held a 3-0 win going in the bottom of the sixth before giving up six runs to the Wildcats as Wayne State won 7-3. The Wildcats controlled play in game two with an 11-0 win guided by a two-hitter from Maddie Moser.
Minnesota Crookston falls to 6-31 (2-13 NSIC) with Sunday's losses. Wayne State moved to 12-24 (6-11 NSIC) with the sweep.
Game One
Minnesota Crookston had nine hits on the tilt. The Golden Eagles were led by
Gabriel Antolak (Sr., C, Zimmerman, Minn.), who went 2-of-4.
Kassidy Klaphake (Sr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) went 1-of-3 with one run scored, while
Rocky Bjorge (So., 1B/3B, Prior Lake, Minn.) finished 2-of-3.
Klaphake suffered the loss after pitching well through the first five innings before giving up five runs in the sixth. Klaphake allowed six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and three walks in 5.1 innings.
Paige Pitlick (So., RHP, Jordan, Minn.) came on in relief and gave up a run on two hits in 0.2 innings.
Riley Vanderveen got the ball in the start for the Wildcats and gave up three unearned runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings. Vanderveen notched five strikeouts and one walk. Moser earned the win in relief after giving up no runs on two hits in 1.1 innings.
The Wildcats had 10 hits in the game guided by Emily Chandler, who was 3-of-3 with two runs scored. Jordyn Breitbarth finished 2-of-3 with three RBIs and one run scored. Alyx Hagen went 2-of-4 with one RBI.
Wayne State broke the 0-0 tie in the bottom of the fourth. The first run crossed when Abbie Hix hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Emily Chandler.
The Golden Eagles responded in the top of the sixth as Bjorge reached on a fielding error at short stop. Klaphake,
Tavia Lawson (Fr., UT, Hawley, Minn.) and
Khailyn Neumayer (Sr., OF, Morgan Hill, Calif.) came into score to move the lead to 3-1.
A three-run home run from Breitbarth to Wayne State back on top in the bottom of the sixth as Klaphake ran into trouble in the circle. Katelyn Wobken came into score on a throw to try to catch Baylee Rial on a stolen base. A Hagen double to score Dial extended the lead to 6-3. Chandler came around to score on a Rachel Shumaker ground out to move the advantage to 7-3.
Antolak and
Samantha Proctor (So., C/1B, Champlin, Minn.) singled as the Golden Eagles mounted a rally. However, Minnesota Crookston was unable to overcome the 7-3 lead for Wayne State.
Game Two
The Golden Eagles were two-hit by Moser in Sunday's second game against the Wildcats.
Moser picked up the win for Wayne State with the complete game two-hit shutout with two strikeouts and a walk.
Luisa Silvain (Jr., RHP, Tucson, Ariz.) picked up the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits in 3.1 innings.
Heather Cunningham (Sr., RHP, Jacksonville, Fla.) gave up two runs on four hits in 0.2 innings.
Mikayla Jones (Jr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) allowed three runs on one hit in 0.1 innings of work.
Neumayer and Antolak picked up the lone hits for the Golden Eagles in the game.
Ashley Hernandez led the Wildcats by hitting a pinch-hit grand slam as Wayne State walked off in the run-rule victory 11-0. Annie Grammer hit a solo home run for the Wildcats. Wayne State also looked to Rial, who hit a two RBI single in the fourth to score Breitbarth and Taylor Menard.
Minnesota Crookston returns to play Mon., April 23 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. versus Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D.
