CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program will wrap up the 2018 season Fri., May 4 an Sat., May 5 as they take on University of Minnesota Duluth at Bulldog Park in Duluth, Minn. The Golden Eagles are looking to end the year on a strong note as they face UMD in a four-game series. Friday's games are set for 1 and 3 p.m. The doubleheader for Saturday will be played at 12 and 2 p.m.

Minnesota Crookston comes into the weekend with a 20-27 (6-22 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles are out of contention for the NSIC Tournament, but they have been able to reach 20 wins for the third-consecutive season for the first time in program history. Minnesota Duluth is currently in 10^thplace with a 16-25 (12-17 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles could play spoiler for the Bulldogs. Minnesota Duluth could make the tournament if they win all four and Northern State University and University of Sioux Falls win two or less games. The Bulldogs could also make it if they win three, Northern State wins just one and Sioux Falls wins just two games. Northern State faces Winona State University in Winona, Minn., while USF faces Concordia-St. Paul at home in Sioux Falls, S.D. The NSIC Tournament has moved this season to Karras Field and Sioux Falls Stadium in Sioux Falls, S.D. May 9-12.

Minnesota Crookston at Minnesota Duluth
Fri., May 4, 1/3 p.m., Bulldog Park, Duluth, Minn.
Sat., May 5, 12/2 p.m., Bulldog Park, Duluth, Minn.
Live Stats - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umd/
Watch - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umd/

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Line-up
R-Sr. CF 1 Anthony Stewart, .308 avg., 44 runs, 11 2B, 9 3B, 4 HR, 30 RBIs
Sr. RF 8 Scott Mortenson, .262 avg., 12 runs, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs 
or Sr. RF 20 Mitchell Bornhauser, .205 avg., 12 runs, 1 2B, 6 RBIs
Jr. 1B 33 Reed Hjelle, .422, 33 runs, 16 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 47 RBIs
Sr. SS 27 Ethan Mushitz, .287 avg., 30 runs, 9 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 24 RBIs
R-So. DH 32 Hunter Baldwin, .261 avg., 6 runs, 1 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs
Fr. 2B 29 Ben Thoma, .180 avg., 18 runs, 2 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBIs
R-Fr. 3B 9 Griffin Fussy, .200 avg., 1 run, 1 2B, 2 RBIs
or Jr. 3B 16 Jonathan Lund, .284 avg., 15 runs, 3 2B, 2 HR, 22 RBIs
Sr. C 7 Zach Frazier, .172 avg., 17 runs, 1 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBIs
Sr. LF 5 James Cullinane, .262 avg., 21 runs, 10 2B, 3 3B, 8 RBIs

Top Pitchers
Jr. RHP 21 Zach Seipel, 3-2 2.84 ERA, 31.2 IP, 7 saves, 53 K, 16 BB
Jr. RHP 23 Parker Hanson, 1-5 3.44 ERA, 49.2 IP, 33 K, 16 BB
Jr. LHP 25 Aaron Hollcraft, 2-1 3.71 ERA, 17.0 IP, 12 K, 9 BB
Jr. RHP 37 Louis Gerzin, 0-0 3.86 ERA, 16.1 IP, 13 K, 14 BB
So. RHP 18 Justin Yutrzenka, 3-2 4.86 ERA, 50.0 IP, 43 K, 27 BB

The Golden Eagles are hitting .265 as a team entering the final weekend. The Golden Eagles have been led by the bat of Reed Hjelle (Jr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.), who has been one of the top hitters in the NSIC in 2018. Hjelle is hitting .422 with 33 runs, 16 doubles, five triples, nine home runs and 47 RBIs. Hjelle currently leads the league in batting average, hits, home runs, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

In addition, Anthony Stewart (R-Sr., OF, Oak Harbor, Wash.) and Ethan Mushitz (Sr., SS, East Grand Forks, Minn.) have both had strong senior seasons. Stewart is batting .308 with 44 runs, 11 doubles, nine triples, four home runs and 30 RBIs. Mushitz comes into Friday hitting .287 with 30 runs, nine doubles, four triples, six home runs and 24 RBIs.
On the bump, the Golden Eagles have one of the best closers in NCAA Division II with Zach Seipel (Jr., RHP, Eagan, Minn.), who is 3-2 with a 2.84 ERA with seven saves, 53 strikeouts and 16 walks. Seipel has posted 30 saves in three years for Minnesota Crookston. Parker Hanson (Jr., RHP, Hawley, Minn.) has slowly been returning from injury. Hanson has a 3.44 ERA in 49.2 innings pitched. The junior pitched his longest outing since March 29 as he went five innings April 29, allowing just two hits in the relief outing.

The four games against Minnesota Duluth will be the final games for 11 seniors for the Golden Eagles. The 11 seniors for 2018 are: Stewart, Mushitz, Gabriel Cavasos, Jacob Butcher, Wyatt Huso, Mitchell Bornhauser, Scott Mortenson, David Anaya, Jason Angelo, Zach Frazier and James Cullinane.

Minnesota Duluth
Projected Line-up
Sr. RF 6 Brett Milazzo, .271 avg., 22 runs, 5 2B, 1 3B, 11 RBIs
Fr. LF 2 Henry George, .303 avg., 26 runs, 2 2B, 1 3B, 12 RBIs
Sr. C 16 Tyler Midas, .321 avg., 25 runs, 12 2B, 4 HR, 25 RBIs
So. CF 23 Drew Stewart, .223 avg., 15 runs, 3 2B, 16 RBIs
So. DH 26 Chris Saltzmann, .270 avg., 8 runs, 3 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs
or So. LF 8 Cory Krolikowski, .232 avg., 15 runs, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBIs
So. SS 1 Chase Thomas, .184 avg., 17 runs, 4 2B, 4 RBIs
So. 1B 30 Alex Welder, .213 avg., 10 runs, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs
Fr. 3B 27 Paul Petit, .250 avg., 6 runs, 1 2B, 4 RBIs
Sr. 2B/3B 15 Colin Baumgard, .152 avg., 9 runs, 4 2B, 6 RBIs
or Fr. 2B 13 Anders Brown, .192 avg., 9 runs, 7 RBIs

Top Pitchers
Sr. LHP 5 Marcus Frederickson, 3-3 2.81 ERA, 51.1 IP, 45 K, 12 BB
So. RHP 24 Evan Vick, 1-3 3.63 ERA, 17.1 IP, 15 K, 7 BB, 2 saves
Sr. RHP 15 Colin Baumgard, 4-1 3.68 ERA, 44.0 IP, 26 K, 9 BB
So. RHP 17 Kole Zuidmulder, 0-1 5.27 ERA, 13.2 IP, 15 K, 7 BB
Sr. LHP 25 Jalen Busker, 4-4 5.44 ERA, 44.2 IP, 33 K, 19 BB

The Bulldogs have posted just a .245 batting average on the year and they have struck out 290 times on the season. UMD is paced by Tyler Midas, who is hitting .321 with 25 runs, 12 doubles, four home runs and 25 RBIs. Freshman Henry George is batting .303 with 26 runs, two doubles, one triple and 12 RBIs, while Brett Milazzo is hitting .271 on the season.

The UMD pitching staff has been guided by lefty Marcus Frederickson with a 3-3 mark and a 2.81 ERA in 51.1 innings pitched. Frederickson has 45 strikeouts to just 12 walks. Out of the bullpen, Evan Vick is 1-3 with a 3.63 ERA. Senior two-way player Colin Baumgard is 4-1 on the mound with a 3.68 ERA in 44.0 innings pitched.