KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team earned a split Wed., March 20 at Osceola County Softball Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. The Golden Eagles won an offensive showdown with Concordia University Ann Arbor 9-8 as they took the back-and-forth tilt propelled by three home runs. In game two of the day, Minnesota Crookston struggled offensively as they picked up just three hits in a 4-0 loss to University of Tampa.

The Golden Eagles move to 10-12 with the split on Wednesday. Minnesota Crookston is just two wins shy of tying their school record of 12 wins set during the 2017 season. Minnesota Crookston's best record coming out of non-conference play was a 10-12 mark at the conclusion of the 2017 non-conference slate. The Golden Eagles are currently 4-2 at The Spring Games in Florida.

Game One
Minnesota Crookston was lifted by home runs from Mika Rodriguez (Jr., SS/2B, Laveen, Ariz.), Rocky Bjorge (Sr., 1B/3B, Prior Lake, Minn.), and Maggie Morales (Sr., 3B/1B, Tucson, Ariz.) in a 9-8 win over Concordia Ann Arbor. The Golden Eagles had an offensive showcase as they notched nine runs on 10 hits.

Paige Pitlick (Jr., RHP, Jordan, Minn.) had a strong performance in the circle for the Golden Eagles. Pitlick tossed seven innings with four earned runs allowed on 12 hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Pitlick pitched the complete game to earn the win and move to 4-7 on the season.

Lauren Reichel suffered the loss in the circle as she allowed six earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Both teams struggled defensively as the Cardinals had three errors, while the Golden Eagles had two errors on the game.

Morales led the Golden Eagles by going 2-of-3 with three RBIs and one run scored. Bjorge went 2-of-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Jordan Peterson (So., C, Lakeville, Minn.) went 2-of-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Rodriguez was 1-of-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Cardinals were paced by Tyffani Bryan, who was 3-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Melanie Richardson went 2-of-4 with three runs scored, while Megan Hinkle was 2-of-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Golden Eagles got the scoring started in the bottom of the first frame as Bjorge powered the ball over the left field fence to plate herself and Peterson.

Concordia Ann Arbor responded with three runs in the top of the second. The first run came across for the Cardinals when Bryan doubled to right field to drive in Richardson. Lyndsey Ryba reached on an error at third base to drive in Alyssa Jabara to knot the game up 2-2. The final run crossed as Bryan scored on a throw down to second base to put Concordia Ann Arbor ahead 3-2.

The Golden Eagles tied the game up 3-3 when Morales came through with a single to right center to plate Bjorge.

The Cardinals put together a two-run inning in the top of the fourth. A Hinkle bunt RBI brought in Carley Drzewiecki to give Concordia Ann Arbor a 4-3 lead. With the bases loaded, Julianne Venier was walked to drive in C Pearson and give the Cardinals a 5-3 advantage. Pitlick pitched out of any further trouble.

The Golden Eagles responded with a huge inning in the bottom of the fourth as they plated six runs. Hannah Macias (Fr., OF, West Covina, Calif.) set the tone as she led off the stanza with a triple to left center. Macias came in to score on a Mikayla Jones (Sr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) single. A Peterson single through the right side plated Jones to knot the game up 5-5.
Rodriguez then delivered a home run over the left field fence to drive in herself and Peterson to give Minnesota Crookston a 7-5 lead. Later in the inning, Morales followed suit with a home run to left field to plate Malia Pula (Jr., UT, Gilroy, Calif.) as the Golden Eagles took a 9-5 advantage.

The Cardinals were able to get two runs back in the top of the fifth. Hinkle started things off by hitting a single to right field to score Richardson. Later in the inning Minnesota Crookston tried to throw out Bryan but they were unable to throw her out, allowing Hinkle to come in from third to cut the deficit to 9-7.

Concordia Ann Arbor pulled within 9-8 as Peterson threw out Pearson at second base, but Richardson was able to come in on the throw. However, Pitlick secured the final out of the game as Minnesota Crookston won 9-8.

Game Two
The Golden Eagles played a closely contested game with a very strong Tampa squad. Minnesota Crookston was able to just secure three hits on the tilt, while the Spartans were able to come up with enough crucial hits to come away with the 4-0 win.

Taylor Graven (So., RHP, Greene, Iowa) got the start and allowed three earned runs on six hits in four innings. Graven falls to 4-2 despite a strong performance. Jones came out of the bullpen and allowed no runs on one hit in two innings of work.

The win for Tampa went to Makaleigh Dooley, who tossed a complete game three-hitter with six strikeouts and two walks as she picked up her 14^th win of the year.

Minnesota Crookston was guided by Leah Macias (Fr., OF, West Covina, Calif.), who went 1-of-2 for the game. Haley Strachan (Sr., OF, Phoenix, Ariz.) was 1-of-2 for the tilt, while Bjorge was 1-of-3.

The Spartans were propelled by Bailey Phillips, who went 2-of-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Dooley was 1-of-2 with one RBI and two runs scored.

Tampa opened up the scoring in the second frame as Dooley doubled to left center to drive in Phillips. Later in the stanza, Stephanie Balmer doubled to left center to plate Dooley to give Tampa a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth frame, Phillips powered a home run over the center field fence to move the lead to 3-0. Erica Matich moved the advantage to 4-0 with a single to drive in Dooley.

The Golden Eagles got a late runner with an Allison Martinson (Fr., UT, Grafton, N.D.) walk, but were unable to cut into the lead as they fell 4-0.

Minnesota Crookston wraps up their trip to Florida Thurs., March 21 as they take on Saint Michael's College at 1 p.m. C.T., and Southeastern University at 3:15 p.m. C.T., at Osceola County Softball Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.