CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team will hit the road to take on Northern State University Wed., April 24 at 10:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. The games have been moved to Bucky Burgau Baseball Field in Moorhead, Minn., due to unplayable conditions in Aberdeen, S.D.

The Golden Eagles are looking to build on their strong season in 2019 as they take on Northern State, who is nipping at their heels in seventh place in the NSIC standings. Minnesota Crookston is looking to make their final charge towards their third appearance in the NSIC Tournament in four years. The Golden Eagles have 10 games remaining in the 2019 regular-season.

Minnesota Crookston vs. Northern State
Bucky Burgau Baseball Field, Moorhead, Minn.
Tues., April 24, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m.
Live Stats - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/northern/

Minnesota Crookston Preview
Projected Starters
So. C 29 Ben Thoma, .252 avg., 18 runs, 5 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 19 RBIs
Sr. 1B 33 Reed Hjelle, .351 avg., 33 runs, 2 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 33 RBIs
Jr. 2B 21 Mason Ruhlman, .198 avg., 15 runs, 1 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 12 RBIs
Jr. 3B 28 Scott Finberg, .235 avg., 19 runs, 7 2B, 6 HR, 25 RBIs
R-So. SS 9 Griffin Fussy, .273 avg., 15 runs, 3 2B, 1 3B, 13 RBIs
Jr. LF 6 Bryce Jorgenson, .265 avg., 32 runs, 12 2B, 8 RBIs
Jr. CF 1 Landyn Swenson, .271 avg., 22 runs, 4 2B, 1 HR, 16 RBIs
So. RF 20 Brock Reller, .243 avg., 26 runs, 10 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 35 RBIs
Sr. DH 16 Jonathan Lund, .286 avg., 4 runs, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs
or R-So. DH 31 Travis Conoryea, .296 avg., 7 runs, 8 RBIs

Top Pitchers
R-So. LHP 36 Dalton Grose, 2-1 2.17 ERA, 29.0 IP, 34 K, 17 BB, 9 saves
Sr. RHP 37 Louis Gerzin, 3-0 3.52 ERA, 15.1 IP, 20 K, 16 BB
Sr. LHP 30 Nate Albrecht, 2-2 3.86 ERA, 39.2 IP, 29 K, 12 BB
Fr. RHP 17 Conner Richardson, 1-1 3.90 ERA, 32.1 IP, 13 K, 6 BB
Sr. LHP 24 Zach Rustad, 5-5 4.80 ERA, 54.1 IP, 43 K, 26 BB

Minnesota Crookston enters the week with a 21-16 (14-9 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles are four wins away from setting their school-record for overall wins and conference victories. Minnesota Crookston has reached 20 or more wins in each of the last four seasons. The Golden Eagles came away with a win over No. 5 St. Cloud State University last Friday, and are looking to build on their second-ever win over a ranked foe.

The Golden Eagles come in hitting .261 on the season with 206 runs scored, 51 doubles, 11 triples, 30 home runs, and 180 RBIs. Minnesota Crookston has a .401 slugging percentage on the season with a .368 on-base percentage.
Minnesota Crookston is led by 2018 NSIC Player of the Year Reed Hjelle, who is hitting .351 with 33 runs scored, two doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, and 33 RBIs. Hjelle leads the league in walks with 37 on the season, helping lead to his .527 on-base percentage. Hjelle owns a .684 slugging percentage on the season.

In addition to Hjelle, Travis Conoryea (R-So., OF/C, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) is hitting .296 with seven runs scored and eight RBIs. Jonathan Lund (Sr., 1B/3B, Tolna, N.D.) is batting .286 on the season, while Griffin Fussy (R-So., SS, Ham Lake, Minn.) is batting .273 with 15 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, and 13 RBIs. Landyn Swenson (Jr., OF, Devils Lake, N.D.) comes in hitting .271 with 22 runs scored, four doubles, one home run and 16 RBIs.

On the mound, Minnesota Crookston has a 5.35 ERA with 239 strikeouts and 155 walks. The Golden Eagles have been guided by closer Dalton Grose (R-So.. LHP, Waterville, Minn.), who is 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in 29.0 innings
pitched. Grose leads the NSIC with nine saves. He has struck out 34 and walked just 17. Louis Gerzin (Sr., RHP, Ely, Minn.) has been clutch in the bullpen as well, with a 3-0 mark and a 3.52 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched. Nate Albrecht (Sr., LHP, Wahpeton, N.D.) has made a major impact as a senior pitcher for the Golden Eagles. He is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 39.2 innings pitched with 29 strikeouts to just 12 walks.

Northern State Preview
Projected Starters
R-Fr. C/DH 19 Spencer Sarringar, .283 avg., 13 runs, 1 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs
or Sr. C/DH 47 Dakota Stilson, .211 avg., 10 runs, 7 2B, 14 RBIs
R-Jr. 1B 2 Hayden Houts, .349 avg., 26 runs, 9 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 36 RBIs
R-Fr. 2B 5 Isaiah Chevalier, .351 avg., 25 runs, 5 2B, 9 RBIs
Sr. 3B 7 Hayden Hall, .181 avg., 7 runs, 3 2B, 8 RBIs
Sr. SS 11 Mikey Adams, .283 avg., 23 runs, 7 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBIs
Jr. LF 12 Spenser Larson, .207 avg., 12 runs, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs
or Jr. RF 31 Alec Lee, .238 avg., 16 runs, 4 2B, 7 RBIs
Sr. CF 16 Justin Barreneche, .185 avg., 12 runs, 5 2B, 6 RBIs
Jr. RF/LF 14 Chad Hinkle, .281 avg., 17 runs, 7 2B, 6 HR, 24 RBIs
Fr. DH 13 Niko Pezonella, .471 avg., 2 runs, 1 2B, 8 RBIs

Top Pitchers
R-Fr. RHP 17 Luke Chevalier, 4-3 2.54 ERA, 46.0 IP, 45 K, 12 BB
So. LHP 21 Zach Hartford, 0-0 2.93 ERA, 15.1 IP, 11 K, 8 BB
Jr. RHP 24 Cody Curfman, 3-3 3.15 ERA, 45.2 IP, 47 K, 14 BB
So. RHP 20 Mike Stubbs, 4-0 3.43 ERA, 21.0 IP, 8 K, 8 BB
Jr. RHP 22 John Werner, 3-1 4.60 ERA, 43.0 IP, 41 K, 16 BB

Northern State enters the week with a 17-20 (12-14 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles are currently in seventh place in the NSIC standings, just behind Minnesota Crookston. The Wolves took 2-of-3 last weekend on the road at Bemidji State University.

Northern State is hitting .254 on the season with 189 runs scored, 56 doubles, four triples, 22 home runs, and 163 RBIS. The Wolves are paced by Isaiah Chevalier, who is hitting .351 with 25 runs scored, five doubles, and nine RBIs. Hayden Houts has brought power to the Northern State line-up with a .349 batting average, 26 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, five home runs and 36 RBIs. In addition, Mikey Adams comes in hitting .283 on the year with 23 runs scored, seven doubles, and 13 RBIs.

On the bump, Northern State owns a 5.65 ERA with 242 strikeouts to just 129 walks. Luke Chevalier has been a staple as a starter for the Wolves with a 4-3 mark in 46 innings pitched with a 2.54 ERA. Chevalier has 45 strikeouts to just 12 walks. In addition, Cody Curfman is 3-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 45.2 innings pitched with 47 strikeouts to just 14 walks, while Mike Stubbs is 4-0 with a 3.43 ERA out of the bullpen.