CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team fell 9-1 and 5-0 Sat., April 28 to University of Sioux Falls at the UMC Softball Field in Crookston, Minn. The Golden Eagles have played four-straight games at home after not playing in Crookston for 368 days. Minnesota Crookston will wrap up the season at the UMC Softball Field tomorrow against Southwest Minnesota State University.
Minnesota Crookston gave up crooked numbers in the third and seventh inning as they fell 9-1 in game one to Sioux Falls. In the second game, the Golden Eagles were knotted up 0-0 before giving up five runs in the fourth and fifth frames as they fell 5-0 to the Cougars.
The Golden Eagles fall to 6-36 (2-18 NSIC) with Saturday's sweep. Sioux Falls improves to 28-17 (13-9 NSIC) with the victories.
Game One
Heather Cunningham (Sr., RHP, Jacksonville, Fla.) got the start on Senior Day for the Golden Eagles. Cunningham suffered the loss after allowing four runs on five hits in 2.2 innings of work.
Paige Pitlick (So., RHP, Jordan, Minn.) came on in relief and allowed five run on 12 hits in four innings.
Mikayla Jones (Jr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) faced one batter and got one out for the Golden Eagles.
Minnesota Crookston notched three hits for the game.
Gabriel Antolak (Sr., C, Zimmerman, Minn.) went 1-of-3, while
Rocky Bjorge (So., 1B/3B, Prior Lake, Minn.) was 1-of-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Jenna Boardman (Sr., 2B/SS, Genoa, Wis.) finished 1-of-2.
Sioux Falls notched nine runs on 17 hits for the game. The Cougars looked to Kerrigan Hoshaw, who was 3-of-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Cassie Van Beek finished 3-of-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Megan Peterson finished 2-of-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Hoshaw picked up the win after giving up just one run in six innings with two strikeouts. Courtney Mathews finished off the game as she shut down the Golden Eagles in the seventh with one hit and one strikeout.
Minnesota Crookston got out to a 1-0 lead on a Bjorge solo home run in the bottom of the second.
Sioux Falls took the lead in the top of the third with five runs. A Lindsey Mossman two-run home run plated herself and Peterson to put the Cougars up 2-1. Hoshaw singled through the right side to score Sydney Nieveen. With the bases loaded, Van Beek singled to score Frankie Mickelson and Hoshaw to extend the advantage to 5-1.
The Cougars moved their lead to 6-1 when Van Beek scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth.
USF padded their lead with three runs in the seventh frame as they went on to a 9-1 win.
Game Two
Minnesota Crookston competed with the Cougars for seven innings as they kept the game close before giving up four runs in the fifth frame as they eventually fell 5-0 to the Cougars.
Kassidy Klaphake (Sr., RHP, Cold Spring, Minn.) had a solid outing on Senior Day for Minnesota Crookston. Klaphake cruised through the first three innings before giving up three earned runs and two unearned runs in the fourth and fifth frames. Klaphake allowed nine hits and had two strikeouts for the Golden Eagles.
Breanna Black earned the win after shutting out Minnesota Crookston in six innings with six strikeouts and just five hits allowed. Mathews came on in relief and gave up just one hit in one inning.
Minnesota Crookston notched six hits on the game. Antolak went 2-of-4.
Mikaela Rodriguez (So., 2B/SS, Laveen, Ariz.) finished 2-of-3, while
Victoria Bayliss (Sr., OF, West Bloomfield, Mich.) and Boardman also picked up hits on Senior Day.
The Cougars were propelled by Ashley Meyer, who was 2-of-4 with two runs scored. Nieveen finished 2-of-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Hoshaw was 2-of-2 with one RBI.
USF scored the first run of the fourth frame when Hoshaw singled to drive in Hoshaw.
The Cougars added four runs in the fifth inning. Nieveen singled to drive in Peterson to move the lead to 2-0. A Meyer two-run home run drove in herself and Nieveen to put the advantage at 4-0. Miranda White came into score on an error to extend the advantage to 5-0.
The Golden Eagles honored their seniors following the doubleheader. The six seniors will have two more games left on the 2018 season. The Minnesota Crookston seniors were part of a school record for wins as juniors. They also have left their mark in the record book. The senior class includes: Boardman, Antolak,
Khailyn Neumayer, Cunningham, Klaphake and Bayliss.
Minnesota Crookston concludes the 2018 season Sun., April 29 at 12 and 2 p.m. versus Southwest Minnesota State University.
